What a great way to celebrate his 26th birthday, Aridane banged in his first career hat trick and blew out the opposition to give CD Tenerife a thrilling 5-2 home win over Coruxo. The big forward doesn’t always get the praise he deserves but that’s 18 goals this season and he gets through a lot of work winning the ball, especially in the air, and taking the knocks to create space for his team mates.
The score made the win look easier than it was, stubborn Coruxo came from behind twice to level at 2-2 and it took the introduction of Suso after 62 minutes to break their spirit. It was a well worked team move that gave Tenerife an 8th minute lead, Aridane won the ball and fed Ayoze who passed to Llorente who came steaming in down the left to tuck the ball inside the post. Sergio Aragoneses was alert ten minutes later to deny the visitors with a sharp save that his defence scrambled clear.
Tenerife were slack with their marking to let Coruxo back in just before the half hour, left back Pastoriza broke and with no one trying to stop him he fired past Sergio. His decision to jump the advertising hoarding and clench his fist to the crowd didn’t make him any friends. Tenerife looked for a quick answer but found Fernando on top form in the opposite goal as he made a confident two handed save that sent the sides in level at the break.
There were no changes in the interval, Ayoze merits a starting place now and showed why with a fine pass to set up Aridane who displayed his strikers instinct to score. Llorente tried to repeat his earlier success with another raid but put the ball wide but the team was ticking now and should have pulled away. Atunez got a free kick just outside the home defence but it was like a scene from Cowboy Builders as the home wall failed miserably to stop the shot getting through to make it 2-2. New blood was needed, Suso replaced the ineffective Loro and he instantly caused havoc down the right flank, unlocking the full back he put in a teasing pass that was just short of Ayoze. Tenerife pressure forced a corner and with Suso and Ayoze snapping at heels Yago turned the ball into his own net.
It was time to finish off the visitors, as Tenerife swarmed over them Ayoze hit the bar but Aridane was on hand to tap in a Suso pass to make it 4-2 to settle the nerves. Ayoze was having a great game he’s so unselfish for a player looking for his first senior goal. Aridane knew what he wanted for a present, not socks or a tie, a match ball was top of his list and in injury time Suso danced in from the wing and set the ball up for Aridane to crash home his third goal to round off a memorable match in front of 7,499 fans.