1-0: UD Almería will never give up!
The Rojiblancos retain the second automatic promotion spot after Curro’s sensational match-winning goal scored in the dying minutes
The UD Almeria warriors never give up! This exclamation has ceased to be a simple phrase and has become a reality over the games. Without giving up hope at any time, it was the way in which the Rojiblancos managed to edge their way past Real Sporting de Gijón after going all out from start to finish for a victory that was achieved in the dying minutes through match-winner Curro. Limbs is a word used when your side scores a vital goal at a vital time in a vital game, and before the winner, there had already been several clear-cut opportunities fashioned by the hosts, but it was in stoppage time when utter madness broke out at the Juegos Mediterráneos.
Only four minutes had passed with two clear sights at goal from UD Almeria in which Cuéllar cleared a shot from Ramazani and a defender got in the way of Robertone's subsequent powerful strike. A feisty first forty-five minutes drew to a close and it was a goalless game at the Juegos Mediterraneos before heading down to the tunnel (0-0).
After the break, the path that leads to victory became clearer for Rubi's side. Lazo sent an attempt into the side netting, while Sadiq’s driving run inside 71 minutes did not reaped reward in the end.
UD Almería were magnificent so far, but they rued quite a few missed opportunities. With 73 minutes gone, Curro sent a corner-kick into the back of the net, however the goal was chalked off by the VAR for offside in the previous play. In that lack of control after the disallowed goal, Sporting would engineer their first and only chance of the encounter in the south coast in which Babić was superb to avoid a one-on-one between Djuka and Fernando.
It was being unfair that an unsatisfying stalemate remained. The merits were more than enough and it was incomprehensible that the scoreboard did not record any goal yet. As the Rojiblancos never gave up, second time lucky, Curro picked up an well-timed assist from the edge of the box, shot confidently and made a passionate, jubilant crowd in the Mediterráneo stands burst with pure joy, celebrating the match-winning goal scored in injury time (1-0).
The result means the Rojiblancos, who never give up, retain the second automatic promotion place to the top flight ahead of the final five LaLiga SmartBank games, having been able to find a winner in a captivating contest that lived up to its big game billing.