Hercules began the match in a shaky fashion, falling behind early in Melilla as the first half unfolded with a sense of urgency that did not translate into control. A clever strike from José rescued a point, leaving the scoreboard still in balance, but the overall tempo suggested the home side had not found their footing. Sergio Morea made a tactical call by keeping Federico on the bench until the right moment, while Tano anchored the defense as the unexpected central figure of the lineup. The match at Rico Pérez opened with heat and a sparse crowd, yet the feeling from the outset was clear: Hercules seemed disconnected from the rhythm of the game, mishandling the ball and pressing with a strain that betrayed their intentions. The opponents seized the opportunity at the first real opening, a sign of trouble for the locals who were slow to respond. The opening quarter hour revealed the team’s worst form of the season and set an anxious tone for what followed, with the bar of performance uncomfortably low.
Borja Díaz emerged as a first spark for Hercules, stepping forward into an attacking role and pressing Pol Ballesté to test him for the first time in the 20th minute. As the game progressed, Mora’s side gradually shook off the lethargy and began to command the midfield in clear terms. Defensively solid, Melilla retreated with a cautious certainty to protect the result, inviting their opponents to break through the center. After a noticeable period, Hercules finally found a glimpse of their potential, though the sense of urgency remained tied to how they could convert possession into meaningful chances and avoid conceding again.
The coach at Melilla chose to alter the course of the match during the interval with a triple substitution. Miguélez and Acuña were replaced by Mario Ortiz, Bikoro, and Aketxe, a shift that preserved the formation while injecting fresh energy into the spine of the team. Borja Díaz adjusted his positioning, reshaping the midfield and redistributing responsibilities to spark a response. The change in momentum surfaced in a sequence that felt almost cinematic: Bikoro won a battle in midfield, Nico Espinosa converted that moment into a gift for José Manuel, and the forward delivered his first goal for Hércules. It stood as a bright oasis in a desert of fatigue—a high note in an otherwise tense contest.
Following the equalizer, Melilla answered with renewed pressure, pressing more aggressively and restoring balance to the midfield battle. The tactical shift translated into increased momentum, though the home side did not fully capitalize on the positive energy before them. The match drifted into a back-and-forth phase, with both teams probing and probing again for a decisive edge. Mario wound up leaving the field due to injury, and the team shifted to a more compact shape while attacking with Raúl González and Aketxe, who joined Bikoro and Borja Díaz in the central axis. This offensive push showed intent, but it failed to reach the minimum threshold required to tilt the balance decisively. In the closing moments, a well-placed shot from Raúl González forced a save from Pol Ballesté and found a corner, a reminder that both sides carried quality at critical moments. The final veil of the match left Rico Pérez with a sense of restraint—an even contest that did not tilt in favor of either side, leaving the players and spectators with a bittersweet taste of a drawn encounter that did not fully satisfy its potential.