It was another giant stride towards the promotion play offs as CD Tenerife rounded off a fine performance with a 2-0 win at Rayo Vallecano – they could even afford to miss two absolute sitters in front of goal. Sergio Aragoneses returned for his 200 th league game in Tenerife colours and with Zazo and Aridane starting the side had a good balance to it.
Sergio soon got a touch of the ball with a simple take in the first minute and although Roberto flicked the ball over the bar for Rayo seconds later, Tenerife dominated the first half. Zazo headed over and Pablo Sicilia forced a save after heading a Chechu (above) cross. Kike Lopez unleashed a long range effort that wasn’t far away but the opening goal after 16 minutes caught everyone napping. Chechu delivered a testing ball with Pablo offside but as the linesman frantically waved his flag the goalie only half cleared and the ball fell to Zazo who couldn’t believe his luck as the game froze around him, leaving him to tap it in the net.
Kike Lopez was getting lots of close attention and needed treatment after Owusu elbowed him in the face, Kike paid him back with a crafty dig a few minutes later. Rayo’s first decent chance fell to Mata who lashed his shot over Sergio’s bar. Zazo was everywhere and cleared well from a late first half home charge, Sergio weighed in with a strong punch clear just before the break. The second half was more even, that couldn’t be said for the fans, a contingent of around 100 blanquiazul were loud and proud all game.
Chechu has been showing in recent weeks just why the club rated him so highly, a perfect pass in from the right was made for Aridane but he put it wide. Tarantino joined the attack for a Chechu corner and tested the keeper with a powerful header. Mata should have levelled for the home side, he was one on one with Sergio but produced a feeble poke at the ball, an easy pick up for our bicentennial man. Tacon replaced the battered Kike Lopez and Perona relieved the clearly still unfit Loro. Then came the free invitations that Tenerife declined, first Tacon did the hard part skillfully chesting the ball down before wasting his free shot, then Chechu took the ball between two defenders but tried too hard to round the keeper when a little chip would have done the job.
Sergio had one personal scare as he committed himself at the near post but the Rayo player was also in wasteful mood. Into injury time after a home player got sent off for a second yellow, I was just thinking what a poor game Aridane had when he made a great unselfish move laying the ball off to the overlapping Llorente (above) who blasted the ball with the precision of a striker to seal the 2-0 win. Lots of hard work and determination from CDT, Castilla only drew so Tenerife have consolidated second place just four points behind the leaders. Wednesday nights home clash with SS Reyes can’t come soon enough.