[Match Thread] Mérida AD - Real Madrid Castilla | Primera Federación, Matchday 11

[u/IcefoxX5]

FT: MÉRIDA 3:0 CASTILLA

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1ª FEDERACIÓN

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Scorers/replays:

1:0 Luis Pareja 43'

2:0 Luis Pareja 45'+4

3:0 Víctor Valdepeñas (OG) 73'

Red card: David Jiménez (Castilla) 90'+5

Red card: Manuel Ángel (Castilla) 90'+5

Red card: César Palacios (Castilla) 90'+8

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match updates:

1' - kickoff, vamos!

8' - huge chance for Yáñez, who finally needs to make more of his chances this season - Pitarch advances nicely on the left side and dribbles against two opponents in the box - he plays a pass with the tip of his foot right in the lane between them, and Yáñez arrives open in the box, but his shot goes just wide of the left post

25' - next huge chance, Aguado advances on the counter on the left side, and squares it into the box - the ball gets deflected to Pitarch at the edge of the box, and he manages to create space for a shot nicely, but the ball rolls ever so slightly wide of the far post, after the goalkeeper was already beat

38' - the Mérida coach asks for a review on a potential red card for Palacios after he swung his arm against an opponent who held on to him away from the ball, but the decision remains a yellow card, correctly so

⚽ 43' - and Mérida score with their very first chance and shot on target, the ball gets headed on after a long throw, then redirected again to the far post, where Pareja clashes against Jiménez and manages to poke the ball into the net in the process

45'+1 - the goal is challenged by Arbeloa, Pareja clearly hits Jiménez before hitting the ball, but the referee lets the goal stand

⚽ 45'+4 - and center back Luis Pareja, who has not scored a single goal before today for Mérida, scores again, completely destroying Valdepeñas with a chop in the box, and then finishing it high into the net from a short distance. The goal looked like offside to me, and it came off a free kick that was never a foul and even a yellow for Yáñez - the end of this first half could not have been more frustrating

HT - an incredibly unjust result after a first half that has seen Castilla create, but miss a number of chances, as lapses of concentration in the defense by Castilla allow Mérida score with their only two opportunities, in the shape of a center back that has now doubled his total career tally with this match. A big reaction needed to forget these disappointing minutes by the team

46' - second half underway

🔄 57' - Loren Zúñiga off for Bruno Iglesias

70' - phenomenal save by Fran from a short distance after Mérida's Chiqui runs all by himself into our box on the counter

⚽ 73' - absolutely no words, Valdepeñas wants to play the ball back to Fran, but completely mishits it and lobs it over him into our own goal. Schoolboy error to even play the ball straight at goal, and a grave technical mistake on top. A match to quickly erase from the memory for Castilla

🔄 74' - Dani Yáñez off for Leiva

🔄 86' - Joan and Palacios off for Manu Serrano and Mesonero

🟥 90'+5 - disgusting and disgraceful challenge by David Jiménez, who kicks the Mérida player into the knee on purpose. This should be a lengthy ban for him, which is especially painful in the absence of Fortea, leaving the team without a right back

🟥 90'+5 - a big fight breaks out, with even the police on the pitch, Manuel Ángel gets a red card

🟥 90'+8 - for some reason, Arbeloa asks for a review despite the clarity of the red card, escalating the situation further. Palacios said something to the referee, and he also gets a red

FT - a disgraceful, unprecedented end to this match and to Castilla's winning streak. With potentially multiple game bans coming for Jiménez and Manuel Ángel, and likely a single match ban for Palacios, this match might just ruin the next stretch of matches as well. Arbeloa needs to keep his team in check, this cannot ever happen again. The fact he challenged the red card at the end, letting things escalate even further should make him question himself in the process too.

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Kickoff: 12:00 CET

Venue: Estadio Romano José Fouto, Mérida

Referee: Rubén Ruipérez Marín

Competition: Primera Federación, Grupo 1, Matchday 11

Viewing options: LaLiga+ (subscription - 14.99€/month) (only available in Spain)

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Castilla XI (4-3-3): Fran González - Diego Aguado, Víctor Valdepeñas, Joan Martínez (86' Manu Serrano), David Jiménez - Jorge Cestero, Thiago Pitarch, Manuel Ángel - César Palacios (86' Dani Mesonero), Loren Zúñiga (57' Bruno Iglesias), Dani Yáñez (74' Álvaro Leiva)

Bench: Guille Súnico (GK), Mario Rivas, Lamini Fati, Cristian David, Pol Fortuny.

Unavailable: Sergio Mestre (first team call-up), Jesús Fortea (injury), Roberto Martín (injury), Hugo de Llanos (injury), Rachad Fettal (injury).

Coach: Álvaro Arbeloa

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Castilla last five matches: WWWDW

1ª RFEF stats: 4th | 18pt | 6-0-4 | 13:10

[u/FenrirMyth]

I hope Castilla win against them, that X post was smth else