Intercity relied on their star forward Emilio Nsue as they advanced in the competition, after the Alicante side fell 1-0 to Guinea in the round of 16 of the African Cup last Sunday. Coach Alejandro Sandroni hopes to have the Ecuadorian striker available for the next league clash, set to take place at El Palmar on Sunday, February 4, when Intercity hosts Atletico Sanluqueño.
Nsue stands out as the top scorer in the international tournament and has emerged as the fittest striker among the squad with seven goals in fifteen appearances so far.
Trailing behind the Africans, the main attacking threats include Oriol Soldevila, who has four goals and even scored in the opening match against Atletico Sanluqueño; Álvaro Pérez and Xemi Fernández each with three goals; and Pol Roige who has added two goals to his tally.
Iban Salvador offers encouragement to Emilio Nsue after a missed penalty against Guinea in the round of 16 of the African Cup. The image is credited to Themba Hadebe and marks an access point for the moment.
Meanwhile, Intercity’s offense faced a setback with a missed spot kick in their latest outing, yet the team posted impressive numbers during the group stage. The former Mallorca, Real Sociedad and Castellón attacker delivered a hat trick off the coast of Guinea-Bissau and featured prominently against Ivory Coast, helping the side secure seven points under Juan Michá Obiang and clinch first place in the group.
Intercity’s goal trouble
Alicante’s club, missing the captain of the national team, failed to win any of the three matches played in the first RFEF round. They drew 1-1 in one encounter, lost 0-1 to Granada’s reserve squad and Ibiza, and then fell at New Arcángel with a 1-0 scoreline. Sandroni’s squad managed just one goal from Oriol Soldevila across more than 270 minutes, without a consistent scoring reference.
There are numbers that tell a clearer story. Intercity remains outside the promotion zone in LaLiga Hypermotion, sitting eighth with 29 points, seven behind Recreativo de Huelva, a club that sits on the edge of the playoff positions. This week presents a chance for the Alicante team to snap a five game winless streak by facing a side four points away from relegation, a fixture endurance test that could redefine their campaign.