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Copa del Rey

Third round

The final third round cup game took place on Thursday, Las Palmas making it in to the fourth round after a 2-0 victory over Numancia. Guzmán gave the Canary Islanders an early lead, and the visitors were left with ten men when youngster Luis Valcarce picked up a second booking shortly before the break. The result was in doubt though until Asdrubal wrapped things up with an impressive overhead kick in the dying minutes. Both teams play each other again in the league this weekend. (16.10.14)

Eight more cup ties on Wednesday, including all six involving the lower division sides. Izarra were the only team from the regional third division left in the competition, but despite going two up by half time at L’Hospitalet, the Catalans turned things around to win 3-2 in the end. Pito scored twice for the Navarra based side in the first twenty minutes, the first with a header and the second on the far post after keeper Oliver misread a cross from the right. Nano got one back though soon after the restart, beating Contreras at the second attempt, Rubén Alcaraz levelled it with a well struck free kick on the hour mark, and Agus got the winner following a long free kick with a quarter of an hour to go.

All the games were close though, with Cádiz, Alcoyano and Cornellà all winning by one goal margins, and Oviedo and Huesca going through in extra time. Cádiz came from behind to beat regional rivals Linense 1-2, second half strikes by Kike and Airam turning things around after Copi had given the locals an early lead. Alcoyano meanwhile beat Lleida 1-0, Joan Vich getting the only goal with twenty minutes to go, and Cornellà also recovered from a goal down to beat Leioa 2-1. Both teams were newly promoted from the regional third division this year, and although Ander Vitoria headed the Basque side in to an early lead, Muñoz headed the equalizer on the stroke of half time, and Gallar won it for the Barcelona based side after the interval.

Oviedo are in to the last 32 once again after they beat UCAM Murcia 1-0 after extra time. The visitors have been the best team in the regional second division this season, but they were unable to beat veteran keeper Esteban, and went behind when Linares got on the end of a Susaeta free kick to beat Escalona with a scissors kick. The Asturians missed a penalty soon afterwards, but Fran Pérez and Nono were sent off in the incident, leaving UCAM with nine players. Huesca meanwhile beat Barakaldo 2-1, Iñigo Ros getting the winner just two minutes short of a possible penalty shoot out. Jontxa Vidal had opened the scoring for the Basque side on the stroke of half time, but Aguiar got himself sent off, and Guillem levelled it with four minutes to go.

As luck would have it, the second division’s top two sides were paired together, Valladolid running out 2-0 winners against Girona in the end. Rubi included four youngsters in his line up, and it paid off when Guille Andrés headed in an Omar Ramos corner some ten minutes in to the second half. Samuel wrapped things up after visiting keeper Palatsi let through another Ramos corner with ten minutes to go. And in the last match of the evening, Betis went through 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out after their tie against Lugo ended 0-0, Cejudo converting the last spot kick after David López had fired his over the bar. All will be in Friday’s fourth round draw, with the second division B clubs seeded to play one of the first division sides playing in European competitions, and the second division A teams also due to face top flight opposition. (15.10.14)

The third round of the Spanish cup takes place over the next three days, with five one-leg ties involving second division sides, and another six involving clubs from the regional divisions. The winners will go through to the fourth round together with Sabadell, who receive a bye, and all will be paired with first division teams at the next stage of the competition. Two matches in the first group kicked off on Tuesday, with Alavés the first to qualify after a 0-1 victory at Mirandés. It was a soporific game though, and was only decided late on when the locals were down to ten men following an injury to Emilio with all three changes made, Barreiro beating Sergio Pérez after the keeper failed to clear Manu’s cross. Later in the evening Albacete made it through after beating Recreativo 2-1, a morale boosting win after the Manchegans dropped to the bottom of the second division last weekend. Cidoncha opened the scoring for the locals some ten minutes before the break after Moutinho’s shot was blocked, and Rubén Cruz made it two midway through the second half after Cidoncha and Moutinho combined to put him through. Just before that though Braulio had a strike ruled out for a questionable offside, and Menosse headed in a Dimas corner with five minutes to go to set up a nail-biting end for the home fans. (14.10.14)