Almeria ‘B’ begin play-off for promotion to Segunda Division RFEF hosting Torremolinos
The youth team play the quarter-finals as a single game knockout this Sunday at noon. The game will be broadcast live on free-to-air RFAF TV
The UD Almería ‘B’ team are due to kick off the play-offs for promotion to Segunda Division RFEF with the visit of Torremolinos to the Anexo Juegos Mediterraneos. The homegrown players, who finished fifth in the previous phase, must face this quarter-finals single-legged tie this Sunday at noon. The encounter will be held behind closed doors and broadcast live via streaming on free-to-air RFAF TV.
The next rivals of the Academy team qualified for the play-offs after coming second in the repechage. This situation has caused the Indálicos to become the hosts in this first round and will benefit from a draw at the end of the extra-time. The regulation specifies that in that case, the young players would progress to the semi-finals with Antequera and Torredonjimeno waiting for the team that has been better ranked.
It is true that Almería ‘B’ have paid dearly for their mistakes since the start of the mini-league, however any hurdle will lead them to exit the tournament and remain in Tercera Division, which next year will be equivalent to the fifth tier of Spanish football -instead of the fourth as it is at the moment- due to the restructuring of the Spanish league system with the creation of the Primera Division RFEF.
The play-offs have a competition format based on a single match knockout with the club that has been best ranked in the previous phases playing as hosts. In the event that the game ends up in a tie at full-time, the match will go into extra time. If the sides continue to draw after those 30 minutes, there will not be penalties. The home team will get through to the next round.
There are three games to go for the hopeful Rojiblancos who will go all out for a win to meet their goal set at the start of the campaign: moving into Segunda Division RFEF. For this reason, Almeria ‘B’ co-captain Javi Robles told UDA Radio: ‘The team are aware of the importance of this Sunday’s game. We didn’t achieve the objective over the second phase, but this weekend means a new golden opportunity to improve and avoid those mistakes made throughout the season to achieve that promotion that we all want so much.’