The Mini Submarine were unable to beat the clinical Balearic team
Villarreal B went down to UD Ibiza at the Mini Estadi (1-2) in a game where the Yellows, despite trying everything they could to score, ended up succumbing to a side that proved to be extremely clinical in front of goal. The Balearic team made the most of two of the few scoring opportunities they had to take all three points. The home side’s goal, in stoppage time, came from Slavy.
Miguel Álvarez made five changes to his starting XI from last week’s 2-2 draw with Castilla. The coach brought in recent signing Víctor Valverde, as well as Budesca, Requena, Tiago Geralnik and Luis Quintero.
In the early stages of the game, Villarreal B struggled to get forward except in attacking transitions, while the Balearic side set up with the aim of not making it easy for the Yellows to attack.
Around the 18th minute, and after a good combination by the reserve team, 18-year-old Daniel Budesca was denied in a one-on-one with the visitors’ goalkeeper, followed by a good Ibiza counter-attack that was smothered by the Yellows’ defence.
At the end of the first half, the Mini Submarine took advantage of the spaces left by the opposition defence at the back and Víctor Valverde connected with a good low ball into the box that Luis Quintero and Etta Eyong narrowly missed.
Tiago Geralnik had one of the clearest chances of the first half. In the 41st minute, after a cross from Valverde, Requena brought the ball down in the box for the Argentinian midfielder, who sent the ball just wide of the post.
The second half brought a new lease of life for the Mini Submarine, who began to stretch themselves to dominate the game. After a great first quarter of an hour and precisely when Villarreal B were at their best, the visitors’ goal arrived. In the 63rd minute, Mo Dauda picked up a loose ball after a series of bounces on the edge of the area and made it 1-0 for the islanders.
Miguel Álvarez tried to change the game by bringing on Slavy, Diatta and Arnau Solà with a quarter of an hour to go, but UD Ibiza began to gain ground. In the 80th minute, Álex Gallar controlled before playing a ball into space to Davo, who set up Zarzana to put the game all but to bed.
In the final minutes, the B team tried to close the gap by taking advantage of Guillem’s sending off for Ibiza and managed to do so through Slavy, who finished off a cross from the wing to make it 1-2 in stoppage time, but there was no time left for any more.
The Yellows’ next opponents are Recreativo de Huelva, who will welcome Miguel Álvarez’s side to the Nuevo Colombino on Sunday 9th February at 12pm CET (Matchday 23).
