CD Unión Sur Yaiza achieved this Sunday a historic promotion to the Second Football Federation after defeating Club Portugalete on penalties, after drawing in Basque territory with the same score as the first leg (1-1), under the rain that accompanied the players throughout the match.
The Lanzarote team forced extra time with a numerical disadvantage after Facu Álvarez was sent off with a straight red card, and scored the equalizing goal shortly after, in the 97th minute, through Javi Melián.
In extra time, Yaiza's numerical inferiority was not noticeable on the natural grass of La Florida, as Portugalete felt the psychological blow of letting the promotion escape in extra time, when they had everything in their favor.
The only local goal had come in the 52nd minute, from a corner taken from the left by David Nates and headed in by Gonzalo Zorrilla, diving in.
However, the visiting coach, Maxi Barrera, made changes with the entry of Álex Yunes, Javi Melián and Ubay, and managed to change the dynamics of the match. The conguero team began to arrive with danger and could already tie with a powerful low left foot shot from Diego Casoppero that the local goalkeeper rejected in the 85th minute.
Afterwards, it was Ubay who had another clear chance with a crossed shot inside the area that Ibón González rejected, who could not avoid the equalizing goal scored by Javi Melián, after a low center from Casoppero, in the seventh minute of added time.
In extra time, and despite having one less player on the field, Yaiza was better and had dangerous approaches.
One of them was prevented by the referee when signaling offside by Álex Yunes in a serious error, since the ball had come to him from a rival player, when the center forward was going alone towards the local goal.
In the penalty shootout, erratic on both teams, the great protagonist was goalkeeper Nauzet Pérez, stopping two of them, while another shot from Portugalete went high.
Finally, a success by Moha gave the historic promotion to Unión Sur Yaiza, who won the shootout by 1-3, on a day that will be remembered in the Lanzarote club, founded in 1983, and that will represent the Canary Islands next season in the Second Federation together with Atlético Paso and Tenerife B.
Technical sheet:
Portugalete: Ibón González; Aritz Izurieta, Ander Lorente, Santamaría (Íñigo Martín, 98'), Aitor Villar, Íñigo Arzuaga (Marcos Gimeno, 80'), David Nates (Ieltxu García, 98'), Javier Elías, Gonzalo Zorrilla (Yeray Cuello, 74'), Ager Badiola 'Okolo' (Iñaki Bilbao, 90') and Oier del Cura.
Unión Sur Yaiza: Nauzet Pérez; Facu, Emiliano Trovento, Aitor (Javi Melián, 80'), Adán (Álex Yunes, 62') Moha, Matías (Ubay, 80'), Pope (Agustín Gallego, 52') (Mario, 94'), Pato, Enrique Castaño and Diego Casoppero (Vitolo, 94').
Goals: 1-0: (51') Gonzalo Zorrilla. 1-1: (97') Javi Melián.
Referee: Parra Górriz (C. Navarro). He sent off Facu (94') and Diego Casoppero, from the bench (105'), for the visitors with a straight red card. He cautioned Gonzalo Zorrilla, David Nates, Santamaría, Ander Lorente, Javi Elías and Iñaki Bilbao, from the bench, for the locals; and Emiliano Trovento, Aitor, Pato, Ubay and Agustín Gallego for the visitors.
Incidents: La Florida Stadium, 4,000 spectators.
