Fernando Estévez spoke after a dramatic escape at Balaídos, noting that one goal could have altered the outcome. The tale centers on a semi-final that put the spotlight on Eldense as they survived a tense first half. Guille Vallejo stood out as the most reliable keeper in the competition, pulling off saves that kept his teammates in the hunt. The goalkeeper’s heroics helped Deportivo advance to the final in the best possible venue, Nuevo Pepico Amat, where the Catalans have not lost this season.
Only nineteen teams across the country can boast such an achievement this season. Among 476 players who competed in Spain’s top leagues last year, a select group reached the elite status of unbeaten teams at home. This milestone underscored Eldense’s significance as they prepared to host the second leg against Celta B at Nuevo Pepico Amat.
Deportivo faces a minimum win to keep the promotion dream alive
The country’s football pyramid features 20 clubs in the First Division, 22 in the Second Division, 40 in the First RFEF, and 90 in the Second RFEF, with 288 in the Third RFEF and 16 in the Women’s First Division. Against that backdrop, the surprise was that only nineteen clubs were defeated at home this season, and Eldense stood alone in the First RFEF for this metric. The looming second leg against Celta B at Nuevo Pepico Amat carries extra weight for the Alicante side.
Eldense joins the promotion chase
The coach of Deportivo la juventud and a notable observer noted that the Galician side showed inconsistency at home. Yet they closed the regular season poorly and still managed to upset the Group 2 co-leaders in the first semi-final match. The home side rallied as the visitors mounted a late comeback, and the final scoreline of 3-2 did not reflect how close it came to tilting in favor of the away team. The dynamics shifted as Eldense tightened its defense in the middle of the first half, rallying a string of players around the ball in the inner channels. Once that tactic was neutralized, the game opened up and Eldense carried momentum into the second leg, keeping all options alive for the playoff to reach the Second Division.
The Galician side struggled to collect away points in the final stretch of the season. Celta B’s rebound proved surprising; they scraped into the second stage with a fifth-place finish in a tight grouping. In the last ten fixtures, the Galicians collected only ten points and conceded heavily. Their only victories in that period came against two opponents, underscoring a difficult finish to the campaign.
Fighting for the goal
Eldense’s capability to perform at Nuevo Pepico Amat could be decisive, especially when taking into account the difficulty of winning on foreign soil. The upcoming match represents a pivotal moment, one that could legitimize Eldense’s strength as the competition narrows toward the final.
Estévez expressed confidence that the strong backing from Blaugrana fans would help Eldense reveal the potential observed during the season. The coach suggested that the team could travel to Elda with stronger financial and morale support, emphasizing that sometimes the feeling on the field matters more than results. The first-half disappointment stung, yet the overall impression hinted at a fair outcome had more chances fallen to Eldense. Claudio Giraldez, Celta B’s coach, acknowledged missing a prime moment to topple the giant and grasp the opportunity that lay ahead.