El Barrio Atlántico's youth team dashed Club Deportivo Tahíche's promotion dreams. The two-goal lead achieved in the first leg was insufficient, as Barrio Atlántico leveled the tie with ten minutes remaining, forcing extra time. In added time, Edu scored the goal that secured promotion for the Gran Canaria team. An out-of-sorts Tahíche was unable to cope with a rival that physically showed signs of exhaustion.
From the referee's initial whistle, Barrio Atlántico took control of the match. The first warning from the home side came in the 3rd minute, with a shot from Cristóbal from the edge of the area that went to the right of Rubén's goal. Barrio Atlántico passed the ball around in midfield, but their dominance did not translate into clear goal-scoring opportunities.
One of CD Tahíche's few opportunities in the entire match came in the 19th minute of the first half. Yeremi touched a ball inside the area, and Moisés, at the far post, failed to shoot between the posts when he was alone in front of the goalkeeper.
As the minutes passed, the game became more balanced. The CD Tahíche players waited for their opponents, sitting back and trying to exploit the speed of Yeremi and Moisés in attack. Tahíche gradually retreated into their own half and stopped having possession of the ball. And just when it seemed that the game would go to halftime with a goalless draw, Barrio Atlántico scored the opening goal. Alex took a free-kick, with the ball going into the top corner of Rubén's goal.
These were the worst minutes for Tahíche, and Barrio Atlántico piled the pressure on their opponents' goal. Cristóbal had a good opportunity with a run down the right, but his shot went into the hands of the goalkeeper. And in added time, Tahíche were reduced to ten men. Right-back Borja received a second yellow card, leaving his team with a numerical disadvantage.
The second half continued in the same vein. Barrio Atlántico had possession of the ball, although most of their attacks died out near the opposition's area. On the other hand, Tahíche's attack was non-existent, with Moisés very isolated and not receiving the ball in good conditions. The home side's dominance increased as the minutes passed, with Tahíche struggling without possession.
The intense heat and physical exertion began to take their toll in the second half. Up to three Barrio Atlántico players had to be substituted in the 13th minute of the second half, suffering from cramps and calf problems. Many Barrio Atlántico players were experiencing physical problems, a circumstance that CD Tahíche failed to exploit.
With ten minutes remaining, the goal that leveled the tie arrived, again from a set-piece. After a corner kick, Edu touched the ball at the far post, and Santana headed it into the back of the net from close range.
The game opened up, with a frantic pace in the final minutes, and both teams had chances to decide the match in their favor. With the score at 2-0, the game went to extra time, where the tie would have to be resolved.
Barrio Atlántico had two good chances in the first half of extra time to score the third goal. A cross-shot from Cristóbal was met by Rubén's hand, preventing the goal. And a minute later, a shot from Javi was repelled by the crossbar. The CD Tahíche players claimed a clear penalty for a foul on Moisés inside the area, an infringement that was not signaled by the referee.
In the third minute of the second half of extra time, the goal that secured Barrio Atlántico's promotion to the División de Honor Juvenil arrived. A cross-shot from Edu from the right wing surprised goalkeeper Rubén, with the ball going in at the far post. A goal that sparked joy among the Barrio Atlántico players and the fans in the stands.
In the minutes remaining until the end of the match, little was played. Barrio Atlántico tried to slow down the game, with numerous interruptions and gaining seconds on the clock. The referee added four minutes to this second half of extra time, but it was not enough for CD Tahíche to score the goal that would have given them promotion.
Barrio Atlántico celebrated a historic promotion to the División de Honor Juvenil, and the devastated CD Tahíche players watched as a good opportunity to achieve the coveted promotion slipped away. This is the second consecutive season in which Tahíche has fallen short of promotion.
Match Details
AD Barrio Atlántico: Leandro, Aquilino, Kilian (Edu 68), Santana, Carlos (Leroy 58), Alex (Juanqui 68), Cristóbal, Mario (Tyron 68), Kiko, Javi (Marcos 123), Chus
CD Tahíche: Rubén, Borja, Chuqui, Aldemar, Fran, Grimón, Isaí, Ifha (Javi 46), Moisés, Echedey and Yeremi (Joshua 89)
Goals:
1-0: minute 38, Alex
2-0: minute 80, Santana
3-0: minute 108, Edu
Referee: Miguel Suárez Castellano. Sent off Borja with two yellow cards in the 45th minute for CD Tahíche. Booked Carlos, Cristóbal, Chus, Edu, Tyron and Leroy for Barrio Atlántico and Grimón, Echedey, Yeremi and Joshua for CD Tahíche
Incidents: Parque del Atlántico, around 400 spectators. Second leg of the promotion playoff to the División de Honor Juvenil
