Archive for December 2nd, 2012
A Bizarre Advent Calendar From CD Tenerife

Was it some potent late night cheese or some dodgy mushrooms, this 1-1 home draw for CD Tenerife against Real Oviedo left me feeling dazed and confused. Another giveaway goal, bags full of missed chances, a torrential downpour, and even a mutant mascot – this game had the lot.

Coach Alvaro Cervera dropped centre back Bruno and brought Amado in from the wilderness and he had a very mixed half game. It was always going to be a tight encounter, Real Oviedo were cautious and reserved, Martinez made a couple of good openings but couldn’t turn them into goal threats even when Tarantino slipped up in front of him. Suso was his usual industrious self but Aridane looked ill at ease and couldn’t make his bulk count in the air.

The ball was in the visitors net after 40 minutes, Aridane finished off from a Chechu cross but it was just offside. Amado picked up a booking and that may have influenced the decision to replace him at half time with Yeray so that Medina could drop back into the defence. Loro was stretchered off with an ankle injury after Cerrajeria clattered into him off the ball and that heralded the arrival of Cristo Martin. Early fears were of a break but it looks like a bad sprain. The change seemed to fire up Tenerife, they lay siege to the Oviedo goal but bad misses like Suso into the side netting, and a weak Cristo shot at a nervy keeper failed to make the breakthrough.

 

Yeray was more creative but had the same finishing problems, Suso fired wide again Aridane missed an open goal but Suso was in the right place when a fortunate toe poke found him and he buried the ball for a 78 minute lead. The skies opened and drenched the stadium but it was a small price to pay for the victory that was surely in the bag.

Oviedo pushed for an equalizer with sub Busto giving them new purpose and when Llorente was easily out jumped and the ball fell within clearing distance of a static Medina, Cervero gratefully accepted the late gift. Maybe the mutant mascot was meant to console the 8,525 crowd but it had lousy timing as the game seeped away with two points dropped. On such a strange day we shouldn’t have been surprised to find that Real Aviles had drawn at home meaning no change at the top.