A hard-fought comeback: Xerez CD claims its first points of the season against Tenerife B (2-1)

Xerez CD 2 — 1 Tenerife B

Photo: Diario Xerecista

Julito and Chuma overturn Omar Sánchez's opener and give Chapín its first win of the campaign, on an afternoon when the new coach watched the match from the stands

CHAPÍN. Jerez was longing for some relief, and Xerez CD gave it to its fans with a win that was hard-fought, worked for and more celebrated than brilliant. The blue-and-whites beat the Tenerife reserve side 2-1 in Abel Segovia's debut, the replacement for the dismissed Xavi Molist, and finally ended their winless run after four matchdays without a victory. Against a young, bold opponent that struck first, the home side's persistence, belief and know-how prevailed.

Segovia begins his tenure from the stands

The first surprise of the morning was not on the pitch, but off it. Segovia, a native of Seville, had to follow the match from the stands: the club has not yet settled the outstanding severance with Molist and, without it, the new coach's registration could not be processed. In his place, Juan Pedro Ramos sat on the bench and led the team.

Photo: Diario Xerecista

Nor was there a revolution in the line-up. Pantoja in goal; Guille Campos, Manu Galán, Moi and Chacartegui in defence; Raúl López joined for the first time this season by Ismael in the holding role; and further forward, Zelu, Julito and Zequi, free to swap positions, with Rubén Mesa up front.

Early momentum, a blow from the reserve side

As almost always happens after a change of coach, the Deportivo came out fired up, pressing high on an opponent that was giving the ball away. Zequi issued a warning from the edge of the box (7') with a shot that went over the crossbar. The Canary Islanders' response came around the quarter-hour mark with a pass from Dylan in behind the defence that Pantoja gathered, and the reserve side gradually shook off the home side's dominance.

The blow came in the 18th minute. After a cross from Sergio Fernández, Óscar Bazaga was through on the goalkeeper and Chacartegui's contact was enough for the referee to point to the spot. Omar Sánchez, the island side's top scorer, sent Pantoja the wrong way with a soft finish to make it 0-1.

A first half in fits and starts

The goal forced the blue-and-whites to regroup, and they did so in fits and starts, without continuity. They pushed with determination, but without finding the final pass or a clean finish. Moi came close to equalising with a header from a Zequi delivery, although the ball went just wide (25').

Meanwhile, the reserve side threatened on the counter. A loss of possession by Raúl López left Bazaga facing Pantoja, who claimed the ball, and the striker did not spot Omar completely unmarked (36'). The first whistles arrived, with Zelu and Zequi switching flanks without finding a way through and an increasingly restless crowd. A fall by Ismael in the box (43') was not deemed a penalty by the referee, and in stoppage time a nearby free kick, won by Galán, was sent over the bar by Chacartegui.

Photo: Diario Xerecista

Chuma comes on and the game changes

Segovia, from a distance, needed a change, and Chuma came on for Rubén Mesa, who had been subdued in the first half. Tenerife B, aware of its plan, conceded the ball and territory, leaving the home side without clear routes: neither long balls, nor combination play, nor passes threaded between the lines.

But persistence was rewarded in the 55th minute. Guille Campos cut inside, the goalkeeper parried without holding on and the ball was left loose in a dangerous area. There Julito appeared, alert and well positioned, to tap in the 1-1. The thorniest stretch was over.

Changes, nerves and the decisive blow

Both coaches turned to their benches. Segovia freshened up the attack and midfield, with Peregrina bringing life to the play, and the visiting coach, Mazinho, sought fresh legs for a reserve side that was now less of a threat, although always lurking on the counter-attack.

The reward came from a naive error by the Canary Islanders in midfield. The ball reached Jaime Fernández on the wing, and he put it into the six-yard box, where Chuma, like Julito with the first, made no mistake. 2-1 in the 79th minute. It was the first time this season that Xerez had gone ahead, and the striker, one of the most questioned, lifted a huge weight off his shoulders while Chapín celebrated the joy it had been demanding.

It could have been more: in the 87th minute, Jaime Fernández found himself one-on-one with Gastesi after a great run and angled his shot too wide just as the crowd was already celebrating the third. Zelu also tried, but was exhausted. Five minutes of stoppage time felt eternal, although the three points already had an owner.

Photo: Diario Xerecista

Segovia's hand, visible despite the distance

Although he followed the match from the stands, the new coach's style was noticeable in several details of Xerez's play. The most striking was on the flanks. Under Molist, full-backs and wingers positioned themselves very wide, occupying the same lane and reducing space and the ability to unbalance the opponent. Under Segovia, the full-back maintains the width and the wide player moves inside, which created more one-on-one situations and a good number of crosses into the box. One of them ended in Chuma's goal that decided the match.

The work at set pieces was also noteworthy. All the corners were delivered with an inswinging trajectory towards goal, and curiously none targeted the near post, a detail to follow in the coming matchdays.

Final reading

The saying "new coach, guaranteed win" came true. The team needed to win and did so, and that is the main takeaway from the matchday. Segovia still has a lot of work ahead of him, but with a win in the bag and the first touches of change in the play on the flanks, the road begins differently.

Match facts

Xerez CD: Pantoja; Guille Campos (Víctor López, 76'), Moi, Manu Galán, Chacartegui; Raúl López, Ismael (Peregrina, 65'); Zelu, Julito (Isuskiza, 76'), Zequi (Jaime Fernández, 65'); and Rubén Mesa (Chuma, 46').

CD Tenerife B: Gastesi; Joel (Beiza, 84'), Bazaga (Dailos, 66'), Dylan, Ismael, Vila (Amara, 66'), Giovanni, Llorens, Omar Sánchez (Yerovere, 78'), Sergio and Josito (Dani, 78').

Goals: 0-1 (18') Omar Sánchez, penalty. 1-1 (55') Julito. 2-1 (79') Chuma.

Referee: Carlos Agraz Díaz (Extremadura Committee). Booked Chacartegui, Rubén Mesa, Raúl López, Ismael and Julito.

Incidents: Fifth matchday of Group 4 of Segunda RFEF, played at Chapín in front of 7,466 spectators.