It ain’t over until the final whistle. UD Almería held a 2-goal advantage for much of the game, only to falter in the closing stages and come away with a bitterly disappointing point. As well as the late collapse, an unfortunate own goal made the result all the harder to take. García Pimienta’s side had numerous chances to put the game beyond reach, but lacked the finishing touch against a spirited Real Oviedo team who refused to throw in the towel.

First half 

The game got off to a lively, high-tempo start, with both sides looking to build on their recent good results and strike first. It was UD Almería who landed the opening blow just after the quarter-hour mark, making the most of a set-piece opportunity. A cleverly worked short corner paid off as Quim played the ball back to his team-mate before delivering a pinpoint cross towards the far post. Arribas did the rest, meeting the dropping ball with a superb first-time finish, guiding it inside Aarón’s left-hand post to put the hosts 1-0 up. The reigning top scorer’s left foot is a magic wand, capable of conjuring up something special whenever he waves it.

A few minutes later, Andrés Fernández’s goal came under threat when Enzo embarked on a solo run before unleashing a powerful effort that crashed against the crossbar at the North Stand end. Real Oviedo were growing into the game, raising the tempo and making it clear they had no intention of giving up.

The Rojiblancos doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark through a striker who may not always get the credit for his goalscoring prowess but is among the division’s leading marksmen: Miguel de la Fuente. The forward brought down a cross from the left with his back to goal, spun in an instant and fired home with his right foot. A striker who knows exactly where the goal is does not need to see it to find the target, and De la Fuente had his sights set.

Both goalkeepers produced important saves to keep the score down before the break. UD Almería had opportunities to put the game to bed, including a Quim effort that Aarón kept out with a low save. At the other end, Andrés Fernández stood firm to deny the Asturian visitors on a couple of occasions.

The first half ended with the home side holding a commanding 2-0 lead — a scoreline that, as football so often reminds us, can be a dangerous one.

Second half 

The second half began with a few logistical issues involving VAR communications, while referee Germán Cid was also struggling with significant discomfort in his ankle. Meanwhile, Real Oviedo deserve credit for their attitude, making attacking substitutions and going all out in search of a comeback. At 2-0 down, a goal can be worth twice as much in psychological terms.

UD Almería had their chances to seal the win, but neither Arribas nor Miguel could deliver the decisive blow. The Madrid-born attacker broke into the box and reached the penalty spot, but, off balance, could not direct his effort accurately enough. Miguel, meanwhile, surged forward on a run of more than 40 metres, only to take one touch too many when he should have pulled the trigger, squandering a golden opportunity and left to rue the miss.

And just as football history is littered with teams throwing away 2-goal leads, the old adage that you pay for missed chances came back to haunt UD Almería at the UD Almería Stadium. The Indálicos looked set to secure a record eighth consecutive victory before everything unravelled in the closing minutes.

The turning point came in the 86th minute, when opponent Jacobo González pulled one back with a strike from outside the box. Just a minute earlier, UD Almería had been camped in the opposition half and had a free-kick in their favour. Instead, a flowing Asturias outfit move breathed fresh life into a contest that had looked all but over.

Right up until the final whistle, the script can still be rewritten. Three minutes later, deep into stoppage-time, fortune turned against the Rojiblancos. A shot that looked to be heading wide took a slight deflection off Pulido and ended up in the back of Andrés Fernández’s net, bringing Real Oviedo level and leaving UD Almería’s record within touching distance, but ultimately out of reach.

The end of the winning run only underlines how difficult and impressive the previous 7 consecutive victories had been.

UD Almería 2-2 Real Oviedo

Goals

• 15’ Sergio Arribas (1-0)

• 26’ Miguel de la Fuente (2-0)

• 86’ Jacobo González (2-1)

• 89’ Jorge Pulido (own goal) (2-2)