Even after a few months break, football fever is still gripping Tenerife, last night 4,000 fans packed into the Las Americas stadium to see CD Tenerife beat CD Marino 5-1. It was like the first day of a new term, as the Armada Sur gathered at The Royal Oak 2, just along from the ground, all full of hope and beer. This was the first friendly on home soil, a 3-0 win over Tenisca in La Palma on Friday got the ball rolling, but the raging fires meant the Sunday friendly over there was cancelled.

Normally this pre season game with CD Marino attracts a few hundred, but it was clear from the queues, this was going to be a bumper pay night for the Tercera division club. Another tradition was broken, normally the club bar runs out of beer fairly early on, but this time they were well stocked up and even had another makeshift bar set up at the side of the stadium. We didn’t have long to wait for an opening goal, just 4 minutes in, Juanlu put a cross in from the right and Angel fired it into the net.

Everyone was keen to see the first 3 new signings, Aitor Nunez was in the starting line up but it was Roman Martinez, our Argentinian recruit from Espanyol who made the first impression, combining with Angel to set up Omar for CDT’s 2nd goal after just 9 minutes. Reserve player Omar was definately grabbing his chance and added a well taken individual 3rd goal before Paolo pulled one back from an incisive breakaway. Angel closed the first half with a crisp strike from outside the area for a comfortable 4-1 lead.

The full moon shone down for the second half, and the pace slackened as Tenerife made wholesale changes, giving the whole squad a look in. Strangely, free scoring goal god, Nino was missing, sparking some frantic questions and shrugs among the faithfull, let’s hope there is no sinister reason for his abscence. New boy Belvis made his debut, I think we have already exhausted all the possible jokes about his name. Ayoze centred for Dani Kome to make it 5-1 and several more shots flashed past the home post before the final whistle.

Sunday night in La Orotava will provide a tougher test, as CDT face Real Sociedad. More good news for the club as the CD Tenerife B team have been promoted, despite losing out in the promotion play off final. Fuerteventura have major money problems and have been forced to drop a division, leaving a spot open for CDT B, who will now play in Segunda B, the 3rd tier of Spanish football.