With Shaq Moore being a late addition to the USMNT roster, Jonathan Gomez and Samuel Shashoua were the only Americans in action in Spain this weekend, with both earning sub minutes for their teams in La Liga 2.
UD Ibiza 2 – 2 Real Sociedad B
Head coach Xabi Alonso oped for a three-man back-line with traditional wingers on either side in the middle four, causing Jonathan Gomez to lose his spot as the team’s starting left back after six straight games on the field from the opening whistle.
However, he did play the final ten-plus minutes when Alonso withdrew one of his center backs in favor of a more attacking approach as the team chased the draw, and the gambit paid off as they were able to steal a point at the death.
The visitors were off and running almost immediately, with Ander Martin giving the a 1-0 lead in the third minute when he cleaned up a corner that was poorly cleared, smashing a shot form the edge of the area to stun Ibiza keeper Germán Parreno.
The hosts recovered, and took the lead with a goal on either side of the half; Cristian Herrera cleaned up some sloppy defending with a strike from 15 yards in the 41st minute, then Álvaro Jiménez finished a run up the left with a low strike in the 55th to give Ibiza the 2-1 lead.
With the game winding towards its final ten minutes, Alonso pulled one of his three center backs – Jérémy Blasco – in favor of Gomez, signaling a switch to a tactic with more attack coming from the wings.
After relentlessly pushing, Alonso’s team earned the point with an equalizer in the 91st minute, with Martin heading in near the left post after Parreno parried Alex Sola’s initial shot from the right side of the area.
The result does little to help the team’s predicament in the standings, as they are still six points below the surface with only nine games left to play, and staring at a likely relegation. Gomez should be back in the starting lineup, and the team should expect to take all three points on Sunday when they host dead-last Alcorcon.
Burgos CF 1 – 0 CD Tenerife
Samuel Shashoua played most of the second half for Tenerife, as they unsuccessfully searched for an equalizing goal in their narrow loss at Burgos on Sunday afternoon.
Shaq Moore was a late addition to the USMNT roster for World Cup qualifying and missed the game after having started the previous two for his club team.
After a scoreless first hour that saw Tenerife keeper Juan Soriano put on a number of heroics to keep the hosts off the board, Burgos finally opened the scoring in the 62nd minute. A short pass into the six-yard box from the right somehow got caught in a tangle of legs at the near corner, and Miguel Rubio was there to clean it up from short range.
Shashoua entered the game one minute later in place of left midfielder Alex Bermejo to bring some extra attacking firepower.
The recent addition to the American player pool had one nice moment with six minutes remaining, skilfully drawing a pair of Burgos defenders towards him at the upper right corner of the area, before laying off a pass to Míchel Herrero for a long-range attempt that forced the opposing keeper into a late save.
The loss drops Tenerife down to fifth place, still well within the spots for the promotion playoff, but a difficult seven points from the automatic promotion places with only nine games remaining. They are back on the field on Sunday when they host Real Zaragoza.
