Headers of Atticgo Elche and Elda Prestigio in the Guerreras League
Atticgo CBM Elche delivered a decisive victory over Elda Prestigio in a long-awaited derby that returned after more than ten years. The win places the Franjiverdes among the league leaders, while Elda Prestigio faces a tougher battle to stay in the top division as they search for consistency in the coming matches.
David Marine
In front of a receptive home crowd, Elche began strong, controlling the tempo and pressing hard on offense while their defense stifled the visitors. Coach Joaquín Rocamora handed minutes to several players to manage a busy week ahead, keeping the rotation tight and effective.
The Elda Prestigio side leaned heavily on its two key players, Lima and Prades. The Brazilian Lima opened with the first six goals, keeping the scoreboard tight when his teammates found it hard to convert. The performance of Elda Prestigio’s goalkeeper added to the challenge for Elche, making scoring harder for the hosts early on.
Elche briefly found themselves in trouble after a sprint of poor finishing and defensive lapses, lasting about ten minutes. Elda Prestigio exploited this stretch and moved from 9-4 down to 9-8. The visitors even surged to threaten an equalizer, but Elche steadied the ship as they returned to their own end and managed to stop several counterattacks, aided by Prades under pressure.
From seven meters, Méndez shut the door on any immediate comeback, and a counterattack sparked by Gascó allowed Elche to end the drought. Flores emerged as a defensive leader for Elche, and a 6-0 burst before halftime widened the gap. The fatigue of several players became noticeable as the match wore on, but the home side maintained control.
Atticgo Elche regained momentum and kept the upper hand as the second period began, extending the advantage. The scoreline reflected a steady rhythm with Elche continuing to press and keep the distance intact. A series of plays at goal demonstrated the visitors’ resilience, but the Elche defense remained tight and focused, preventing a major shift in momentum.
The arena remained lively as the locals built a comfortable lead. The second half turned into a showcase of precision finishing and smart ball movement, with Elche managing the pace and keeping Elda Prestigio at arm’s length. The crowd celebrated the home team’s sustained dominance and the return of a spirited, colorful derby after many years.
As the minutes passed, Atticgo Elche pushed for a bigger margin, and the result reflected their continued dominance. Lima led the visitors with ten goals for Elda Prestigio, while Van Zijl contributed significantly for Elche with seven goals in the women’s side. The match reinforced Elche’s position at the top end of the table, with the overall performance suggesting a bright outlook for the season ahead.
Elche sits at the top of the standings on average after a closely fought campaign by the Basques and others trailing behind. Costa del Sol Málaga slipped in the standings following a defeat to Rocasa Gran Canaria, while the relentless pace of the league kept shifting the rear guard as teams jostled for position.
MATCH COMMITTEE
ATTICGO ELCHE: Carratú, Morales; Zhukova, Van Zijl, Oppedal, Guilabert, Méndez, Andreu, So Delgado, Gascó, Flores, Benítez, Wolfs, Bernabé, Do Nascimento, Rosa.
ELDA PRESTIGE: Prades, Sánchez; García, Duque, Mulet, Lima, Azcune, Pereira, Villaescusa, Rivadeneira, Claramonte, Rodríguez, Escribano, Martínez, Pastor, Cesar.
FIRST-5 POINTS: 3-1, 6-2, 8-4, 9-7, 10-8, 15-8 (first half); 18-11, 23-11, 25-12, 28-15, 30-17 and 34-22.
REFEREES: Manuel Mohedano and Vicente Peris. They sanctioned Benítez, Wolfs and Oppedal for the home team and Cesar for the visitors, with the arena named Esperanza Delay.
Atticgo Elche celebrates a hard-earned win that solidifies their spot in the upper echelon of the Guerreras League, while Elda Prestigio continues to search for consistency as the season progresses and hopes to chart a stronger course in upcoming fixtures.