The visiting team prevailed 5 to 4 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes, sealing their advancement in dramatic fashion.
Cartagena appeared to be the aggressor and seemed ready to push through during extra time, yet the defense held firm and the game remained scoreless. The final outcome rested on a tense shootout, where composure and precision decided the tie. In the end, Cartagena could not convert enough spot kicks, allowing their opponents to celebrate a difficult victory on the road in the Copa del Rey second round.
Copa del Rey 2023-2024: when does it start, single-match format, which teams are playing, draws, qualifying rounds, matches, calendar, dates and final
The video summary of Alcorcón vs. Cartagena, from the Copa del Rey 2023-2024: goals, best plays and controversies
The match pitted two bottom-tier teams in the Spanish second division against one another in a knockout duel that mattered far more than league position. It was a contest defined by discipline, tactical discipline, and a degree of extra time intensity that kept both sides wary of risking a mistake that could end the dream of a cup run for the season. A goalless regulation and a tense extra period wrapped around a penalty shootout told the story of a game decided by nerve and precision more than brilliance in open play.
XI OF ALCORCÓN
The lineup for the home side reflected a clear plan and a willingness to lean on a tried and true starting XI under the manager’s guidance. The formation aimed to compact the middle, frustrate the visitors, and launch quick transitions when the moment allowed.
XI | Anacker, Iago, Castro, Rivas, Morillas, Eteki, Alex López, Javi Lara, Bustos, Víctor G., Obi
SUP | Jesús Ruiz, Mosquera, Jacobo Glez., Chiki, Dyego Sousa, Javi Pérez, Quintillá, Artola, Chema, Èric Callís, Bryan
#Copa del Rey #LaCopaMola pic.twitter.com/pRVSOXdK84
— AD Alcorcon (@AD_Alcorcon) December 6, 2023
In the opposing XI, Cartagena laid out a plan to hit on the counter and exploit the spaces created as the game opened, though the defense managed to stay compact and disciplined through the 120 minutes. The approach paid off in the sense that there were few clear-cut chances before the decisive penalty sequence, underscoring how tightly contested the occasion became as it wore on. The tactical chess match between the two clubs offered a reminder that cup ties often hinge on minnows proving they can stomach the pressure late in regulation and into the extra period.
XI OF CARTAGENA
The visitors matched their opponents in organization and intensity, aiming to convert a moment of opportunity into a knockout phase push. The balance between attack and defense shaped a match that many fans described as a grind—a battle conducted in small spaces where a single moment could shift the course of the tie. The stalemate from open play forced the shootout, turning the outcome on penalties into the defining memory of the night.
Source: Goal