3-0: UD Almería make no mistake and move into automatic promotion

UD Almería produced a commanding and convincing victory 3-0 over Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, securing a comprehensive W with a clean sheet that lifts them into the automatic promotion places in a fiercely competitive Segunda.

In a tough, gritty contest, the moments of quality came from Thalys’ brilliance and Sergio Arribas’ predatory instincts. The attacking midfielder struck twice to consolidate his position as the top scorer in LaLiga Hypermotion.

When fortune smiles at you, the least you can do is smile back. That is exactly what Rubi’s side did. After 4 months knocking on the door, they finally stepped through it and settled into the main room. They did not wait long on the damp night that closed Matchday 29, as Arribas broke the deadlock after just 7 minutes. A composed driving run from Dion Lopy, returning after a long spell out injured, split the opposition defence and allowed Arribas to apply his trademark finish: the ball in the back of the net.

The head coach named a reshuffled starting XI with 3 changes from the match against Albacete BP, bringing in Lopy, Baba and Morcillo, once again showing that the only constant in this team is the crest. Everything else depends on form and the opponents.

Curiously, the goal seemed to restrain the team that scored it more than the one that conceded it. The hosts dropped deeper than expected, hoping Cultural would open up and leave spaces behind. Instead, the guests from Castile and León began to enjoy more possession and pushed the Andalusians back, even if they rarely created real danger.

The first half unfolded with the Rojiblancos minimising risks, the crowd thinking about their half-time snacks, and CYD Leonesa circulating the ball around Andrés Fernández’s area. The goalkeeper’s main task was simply following the ball with his eyes as it moved from side to side, harmless and never threatening. The opening 45 minutes proved almost soporific despite an impressive attendance of 12,031 fans on a Monday night.

The half-time break sparked a different attitude from the hosts. They emerged from the dressing room with more intensity, although in the 55th minute Lopy was booked in bizarre circumstances after an odd refereeing decision following an exchange with Thiago Ojeda. Both players ended up cautioned despite the incident appearing minimal.

One of Cultural’s few opportunities arrived around the hour mark when Víctor Moreno fired a shot that struck the sponsor logo on Andrés Fernández’s shirt. 10 minutes later Adrián Embarba, fresh from the bench, narrowly missed the target after a flowing UD Almería move that saw several players surge into the visitors’ penalty area.

From that point the match finally opened up, with both sides willing to attack and play in transition. Amid that brief chaos, the Madrid-born pichichi brought clarity in the 80th minute with his second goal of the night in a sequence that had its own story.

UD Almería were preparing two substitutions, with Guedes and Melamed ready on the touchline. A moment of confusion meant Melamed entered the pitch when Guedes was supposed to replace Lopy. Before the ball could go out again for the next substitution, Melamed rose to meet a cross with a superb header that crashed off the crossbar, and Arribas reacted quickest to convert the rebound and double his team's lead 2–0. Moments later, after celebrating his 17th goal of the season, the league’s top scorer left the pitch to a standing ovation.

The crowd barely had time to sit back down because, as the encounter approached the 90th minute, Thalys delivered the moment of the night. The Brazilian striker launched a counter-attack from near the halfway line and advanced towards the edge of the Cultural penalty area. With a defender closing him down and Arnau Puigmal calling for the ball to his right, the chance seemed to be fading.

Instead, Thalys produced a touch of pure class, delicately lifting the ball with a perfect chip that floated over the keeper and into the net, sealing the result and putting the finishing touch on a perfect evening.

For the first time since November, the Rojiblancos returned to the automatic promotion spots. It was also their first clean sheet and first 3-goal victory since that same month. With 16 points from the last 18 available, UD Almería surge into a privileged position in the standings.