Castellón v Almería, home wins and key moments from Chirino to Pablo Santiago | OneFootball

CD Castellón and UD Almería, who meet in the first promotion play-off semi-final, played two even league matches, each won by the home side.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, the first meeting in Andalusia in late October finished 1-0 to Almería, with former Castellón player Daijiro Chirino scoring as Pablo Hernández’s team endured a brief scoring slump.

Defender Alberto Jiménez was unavailable for Castellón, yet they competed well in a tough venue. The contest was level in possession and shots, until Chirino struck in the second half, sweeping in a loose ball past Matthys with a low, angled finish.

The return at SkyFi Castalia ended in a 2-0 home win. It was not a routine victory, given the opposition and the moment in the season. Castellón had gone top after beating Dépor, then went six without a win heading into Easter.

Ronaldo Pompeu’s first-half stunner put them ahead and the game stayed alive until added time. Reduced to 10 after Tincho’s dismissal, Castellón finally sealed it when Pablo Santiago chased a seemingly lost cause and punished a goalkeeping error for 2-0.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo