Match report: Comeback after comeback, all the way to promotion | OneFootball

Speechless after what unfolded in Alcalá de Henares this afternoon. A hugely important match for Atlético Madrileño after the defeat in Murcia, and a win would pile the pressure on Sabadell and Eldense. The red-and-whites seem to have bounced back at home from the poor run of form they had weeks ago and remain serious promotion contenders.

Fernando Torres’s side, who were missing several notable players especially in defense, lined up as follows: Mario de Luis; Romeo Hueso, Gerónimo Spina, Adrián Corral, Marko Perovic; Javier Serrano, Martín Bellotti; Iker Luque, Rafa Llorente, Arnau Ortiz; Miguel Cubo. Salvador Esquivel, Javier Boñar, Dani Martínez, Julio Díaz, Javier Morcillo, and Rayane Belaid were not included in the squad due to an expected call-up with the first team, while Aleksa Puric and Mati Barboza were out because they had to serve a suspension for accumulated bookings.

The match got off to a flying start, just as we’ve grown used to in recent weeks. Chances for both teams, with Dani Selma looking lively for the visitors... but it was Arnau — unsurprisingly — who made it 1-0. Although I wish it had stood, because I still don’t understand how it was ruled out for an offside by Iker Luque. The worst part? The visitors went ahead from a corner. Same situation as on the day against Antequera. Madrileño didn’t take long to respond, with a fine strike from Rafa Llorente finding the back of the net for 1-1. And in stoppage time, Escassi headed home to make it 1-2. Same situation as on the day against Antequera. Are you getting the pattern?

At the start of the second half, the Andalusians increased their lead with a goal from their right-back, who lofted it over Mario de Luis — he wasn’t quite at his sharpest today, but everyone is allowed an off day. It was no longer the same situation as on the day against Antequera, or so I thought as soon as I saw the ball hit the red-and-white netting. But the reserve side responded again through a header from Javi Serrano from a Marko Perovic cross, giving Torres’s men a lifeline. The minutes went by until the 71st minute, and at that moment Alcalá became the capital of the red-and-white madhouse. Adrián Corral, with his left foot, scored an absolute screamer from a free kick into the top corner to level the scoreboard again.

Mind you, for me it came as no surprise. Mainly because during the 2024-2025 preseason he had already scored one or two like that with CUC Villalba, and he was the set-piece taker for what is now called Atleti C. A wand of a left foot, and his team benefited from it once again. As if that weren’t enough, Corral himself delivered a superb corner onto the head of Miguel Cubo, who took advantage of a lapse in the Marbella defense to head home for 4-3. Minutes later, after a rebound, Martín Bellotti struck from the edge of the visitors’ box and, with no opposition, made it 5-3. It had been over a year since Madrileño last scored 5 goals in the Primera Federación. And yes, same situation as on the day against Antequera.

Of course, the scare came in the form of an opposition goal to make it 5-4 in the middle of stoppage time, setting alarm bells ringing. There was a penalty awarded to Atleti for a shove while carrying the ball in the six-yard box, but it was ruled out for offside. And Koke Mota came close to a sixth when he tried to dribble diagonally past the entire opposing defense.

I almost forgot to mention that there was a debut in the team: Jorge Domínguez, a center-back from the Juvenil A side, played his first minutes for Madrileño at the age of 16. A whole career lies ahead for the promising defender, who only continues to confirm his excellent footballing moment and the steady growth of his career.

With this win, Atlético Madrileño moves into provisional first place with 57 points, pending what Sabadell and Eldense do. On April 19 at 12:00, hours after the Copa del Rey final in which Atlético Sport will be involved, the red-and-whites will face CD Teruel at Pinilla. Permission to dream.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.