The Cup always holds surprises, a David versus Goliath competition that is initially played in a single match and on a modest field, fallow for clubs. As happened to Espanyol against Barbastro, and to Villarreal against Pontevedra in the previous days. A nonsense that was completed to their shame by Alavés, who could not beat Deportiva Minera (2-2), from the Second RFEF, lost on penalties. Although there was almost no more… A mess that Atlético avoided against Cacereño (1-3), from Second RFEF; a torture that eluded Osasuna (2-3) against Ceuta, of the First RFEF; a mistake that Real Sociedad escaped by beating Conquense (0-1), from the Second RFEF, in extra time; and a fatality that Getafe avoided (0-0) on penalties against Orihuela, from Second RFEF.
Alavés, mired in a sporting crisis with 4 of 27 points in the League and , did not make good on that phrase that a new coach, a sure victory. I regret coach Eduardo Coudet, who could not beat Deportiva Minera, capable of deciding the duel in the penalty shootout. Slap from the fat girls and a very good goodbye to the Cup.
But there was. The Príncipe Felipe del Cacereño Stadium was put on display – with the extra stands it went from 7,000 to 12,700 spectators – although the grass left a lot to be desired and, in the process, made the game difficult. Especially Atlético’s, even though they came out with a suggestive and recognizable team, with the novelty of Musso in goal and thus, Simeone’s team had the ball, but not the wit and foot to link up with Correa and Sorloth in the hot zones, clumsy at breaking down the rival defense. Little thing. But Cacereño made a fortune out of the shortage, as a robbery in his area and a counterattack were enough for Merencio to score the goal. Tight with the clock, Atlético came out with more vigor in the second act, expressed with three shots from De Paul and another from Correa. Simeone was worried about the mistake, he made changes and got his way because Lenglet defined a lost ball in the area and De Paul and Julián Álvarez, now with one more man on the mat, reduced Cacereño’s soufflé.
Osasuna suffered even more during their visit to Ceuta, which played with as much intensity as daring, to the point that at times it was not known who was first. Even more so when before closing the first act, Rodru and Jamelli scored a goal. But Osasuna found the way to the goal in time, Raúl García and Rodru own. Cold sweats. None like those that Getafe went through against Orihuela, called in extra time first and then in penalties, saved in any case by goalkeeper Letácek, who stopped the three maximum penalties that were thrown at him.
Real Sociedad also had a tough time, as they were unable to unbalance the score against Conquense in regulation time, but they did find the solution to their problems in Brais Méndez’s goal during the first half of extra time.
Sevilla (1-3), from the Second RFEF, did better, with goals from Montiel, Juanlu and Iheanacho. On the other hand, Cartagena beat Andorra (0-1), Racing de Ferrol against Barakaldo (1-2), Marbella against Burgos (1-0) and Ponferradina (1-1) against Castellón on penalties.
