Having defeated Bilbao Athletic, Eldense stayed within reach of a direct promotion spot. The recent calendar and draw that spared the rojiblanco subsidiary from the worst fate had Eldense and Amorebieta contending for promotion, both ultimately ending up in Group 2 of the first RFEF and now relegated from those early hopes.
Eldense hasn’t won a league game in a month
Eldense and its opponents approached the final stretch with pressure mounting. The team was in a fragile moment, waiting for a breakthrough that could change the trajectory of the season. The promotion race remained tight, and every result carried heavy implications for the standings and future opportunities as the schedule closed out with decisive fixtures.
The season’s rhythm had become clear: the club needed a win to break the cycle of draws and late surprises. Although the path had looked uncertain at times, a critical opportunity hovered on the horizon as the last round approached, with Murcia facing Eldense and Bilbao Athletic meeting Amorebieta. The outcome remained uncertain for Alicante’s clubs as the tension built toward the final day.
The opening exchanges between Eldense and Bilbao Athletic underscored the challenge: Eldense found it hard to break through a Bilbao defense that looked organized and prepared. A precise header from Ibon Sánchez toward the goal tested the opponent, illustrating why the Basque side posed a difficult task for Lezama’s quarry. Despite moments of threat, the visitors rarely carved out a clean scoring chance that could tilt the balance in their favor.
Guille seals his Eldense target
Deportivo tried to impose its game with persistence but lacked the finishing touch. Soberón was the first to threaten after a clever steal from Mendibe, driving several drives toward the goal. Cristian López had two opportunities, both of which were saved or blocked, keeping the goalkeeper Padilla mostly untroubled. Fran Carnicer worked to open the scoring with a well-placed free kick that narrowly cleared the bar as the clock moved toward halftime.
With the match still level at Nuevo Pepico Amat, the atmosphere in the stands intensified during a two-minute spell when both sides momentarily moved the scoreline in their favor, heightening the sense that a single moment could decide the fate of the night. Eldense drew breath from the tense Basque results around them, while Castellón’s late form put pressure on the runners-up, reminding everyone that second place was still within grasp for several teams.
penalty goal
The tactical contest resumed with renewed intensity as both sides pressed for the breakthrough. The pattern of the second half suggested that a decisive error or a sharp moment of quality could break the deadlock. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 70th minute when a left-sided cross found Soberón in a dangerous position and a foul was called, awarding a penalty. Montes, who had just entered the fray as part of a triple substitution, stepped forward with composure and converted, giving Eldense a critical lead and validating the late tactical changes made by Estévez.
Eldense’s goal shifted the balance, lifting the sense of urgency for a response from Bilbao Athletic. The Basques intensified their efforts, but the deficit remained, and the Catalan side clung to second place as the clock wound down. With a 1-0 result, Eldense had captured the outcome it sought, while Bilbao Athletic chased a response that would keep their direct promotion dream alive. The runners-up scenario remained possible for Eldense, but a direct promotion path depended on beating Murcia and hoping for favorable results elsewhere.
match paper
ELDENSE: Vallejo; Toni Abad, Ortuño, Soberón, Carnicer, Carlos Hernández, Núñez, Diego González, Clemente, Capó, Cristian López.
BILBAO ATHLETICS: Padilla; Rincón, Mendibe, Trespalacios, Chasco, Bita, Gere, Ibon Sánchez, Luis Bilbao, Quicala, Izeta.
GOAL: 1-0 (71′) Montes, penalty.
REFEREE: Marta Huerta de Aza. Carnicer warned Clemente, Quicala, Bita, Gere, and Egiluz.
STADIUM: New Pepico Amat (Elda).