LANZAROTE   3   REAL RACING SANTANDER   4   (Copa Del Rey)

UD Lanzarote may have just been knocked out of the Copa Del Rey but I don’t think any of their fans could be more proud of the performance that they have just witnessed from their team.

Racing leads the Segunda A (second tier) by a whopping eight points and have been praised all over Spain for their stylish football but in the final 10 minutes of this match they were fighting for their lives as the Rojillos lay siege.

Whilst nearly all fifth tier sides took heavy beatings, Lanzarote were in this match until the referee blew the final whistle continuing their tradition of fantastic Copa Del Rey encounters.

As expected Racing began the match at a furious pace with super sharp passing making Lanzarote chase shadows. Determined defending kept the side three tiers above them at bay for now.

In the 5^th minute Lanzarote finally got out of their half and it was Ale Fuentes attacking down the left wing and from a narrow angle his powerful strike was blocked by the Racing keeper.

The pressure continued from the visitors, though as the minutes passed the Rojillos began looking more comfortable but playing against a side that looks as though it’s destined for Spain’s Golden league is when you are at your most vulnerable.

In the space of seven minutes the Rojillos found themselves 0-2 down. In the 32^nd minute striker Karrikaburu teased and turned his defender before neatly tucking the ball away from a narrow angle, this was followed with a defence splitting pass from Manu with Ekain not leaving keeper Alejandro a chance as he slotted home from eight yards.

Funnily enough this seemed to relax the Rojillos and they really began to find some rhythm. In the 42^nd minute Alex Cruz chased a hopeful ball, pressurized  the defender into a mistake, he cleverly fed Ale Fuentes who adjusted his feet superbly to take one touch and quickly pass the ball home into the bottom right hand corner to send the home fans wild and his side into the break at 1-2.

Rojillos manager Juan Carlos Socorro made four changes immediately after the interval replacing the centre backs that had already put in an almighty shift, adding Álvaro Iglesias up front and Ruymán replaced Alejandro in goal.

Racing once again enjoyed possession with slick passing and attacking wing play but Lanzarote were threatening and then there were two controversial decisions neither in favour of Lanzarote. Firstly,  Javi Martín threaded a pass to send Ale Fuentes clean through, he rounded the keeper to slot home but the flag had been raised for offside. Without the use of VAR with lines drawn up it is an impossible decision and in such cases with no VAR it used to be that the attacking team was given the advantage.

A short time later an out swinging cross from the right by Alex Cruz was challenged for by Ayoze Pérez, the defender had completely missed the ball and his leg seemed to make contact with the Lanzarote captain but the appeals of every Lanzarote player and fan were dismissed by the referee.

In the 73^rd minute Racing broke from a Lanzarote corner and within seconds Jeremy had made it 3-1 restoring his sides two goal advantage. Two minutes later and after another electrifying break Racings best player Suleiman dazzled down the left wing before unleashing a ferocious strike from ten yards into the top left hand corner and Racing thought that it was job done at 1-4.

The Rojillos refused to surrender and in the 78^th minute Javi Mayor guided a header into the six yard box and Ale Fuentes nodded in from close range to reduce the deficit to 2-4. Only two minutes later Álvaro Iglesias burst down the left wing and delivered an inch perfect pass across to the centre for Ale Fuentes to thunder home for his hat trick and put his side right back into the match at 3-4.

Both sides were exhausted but of course the professional side has higher energy levels however that was nullified by the adrenaline pumping through the veins of every Lanzarote player and supporter as the red and blue team went in search of a fourth goal to level the score and send the game into extra time.

Racing was pinned back but the Rojillos just couldn’t find that final goal and as the referee blew the final whistle everyone rose to applaud both sides in an outstanding contest.

I am sure that we all wish Real Racing Club de Santander the very best in the next round of the Copa Del Rey.

Even though this match will live long in the history of UD Lanzarote it is now over and everyone at the club understands the importance of the league.

This Sunday 3^rd November at 12 noon Lanzarote are once again at their temporary home in Tías and will face UD Ibarra. The Tenerife side have had a difficult start to the season and dismissed their manager. Less than two weeks ago UD Ibarra appointed Diego Maradona Jnr as their new manager and it seems as though the son of the Argentine legend has made an instant impact as his side beat league leaders Arucas CF 2-0 last week to climb up to 10^th spot, three points behind Lanzarote.

The Rojillos won away 0-1 last week and are in 7^th position, one point from the playoffs and four points from the league leaders Arucas CF.

GOALS

0-1 min 32 Karrikaburu

0-2 min 39 Ekain

1-2 min 42 Ale Fuentes

1-3 min 73 Jeremy

1-4 min 75 Suleiman

2-4 min 78 Ale Fuentes

3-4 min 80 Ale Fuentes