Recent American convert Samuel Shashoua started building his longshot USMNT case with a goal for Tenerife while Jonathan Gomez and Real Sociedad had a weekend to forget, as once again all the Spanish action for Americans was in La Liga 2.
Real Sociedad B 2 – 4 AD Alcorcón
Jonathan Gomez returned to Real Sociedad B’s starting lineup Saturday, however the entire team had an afternoon to forget as they allowed last-place Alcorcón to come back twice in what ended up as an embarrassing loss.
The American was anonymous for much of the game, with only 17 total touches from his left-back position in 90 minutes, and only seven attempted passes, of which he completed all.
The game looked to be off to a good start for Xabi Alonso’s squad when Xeber Alkain put them ahead after five minutes with a fine shot from the right of the area to the lower left corner.
However, five minutes later they were dealt their first blow when Jon Karrikaburu’s poor penalty attempt following a handball was easily saved by Jesus Ruiz.
Alcorcón pulled even seconds later, with Xisco Jiménez heading in Borja Valle’s cross from the right, although Karrikaburu partially made up for his earlier miss in the 18th minute, setting up Xeber Alkain for an eight-yard strike on the run to restore the advantage at 2-1.
Nevertheless, the team continued to find ways to shoot themselves in the foot, with keeper being shown straight red for a foul outside the box at the half-hour, then Alex Sola receiving a second yellow and his subsequent marching orders ten minutes later.
Xisco Jiménez pulled his team even less than a minute later, astutely poking in a deflected ball from close range, then Borja Valle headed in a cross from Mula at the edge of the six-yard bo to give Alcorcón the 3-2 advantage in the 52nd minute.
They added another score for good measure two minutes past the hour, sealing the victory thanks to fine work by Borja Valle to maintain possession on the right, before centering the ball to Giovani Zarfino for an easy tap-in at the far post.
The loss gives Gomez and his teammates a six-point gap to make up if they hope to survive, with their first opportunity being on Sunday when they host Tenerife.
CD Tenerife 1 – 1 Real Zaragoza
Samuel Shashoua scored his first goal for Tenerife since officially switching his international allegiance to the United states, while Shaq Moore was back in action quickly after USMNT duty, in the team’s home draw against Real Zaragoza on Saturday.
Shashoua started the game, putting in an active 68-minute shift at forward that included 51 total touches, 33 of 38 passing, and three chances created for teammates.
All of the action happened in the early going, with the teams trading goals – the only two of the game – before the midway point of the first half.
Zaragoza was first on the board at the quarter-hour mark, with Borja Sainz drawing three defenders and the Tenerife keeper to the right of the area on a darting run, only to slide it through the area, beyond the far post for Iván Azon to direct on-target with an impressive, sliding shot.
While Tenerife keeper Juan Soriano did block the initial attempt from Azon, Valentin Vada was lurking in the area to put away the follow-up from close range.
Seven minutes later, Tenerife pulled even, perhaps due to a bit of clumsy luck. A cross from the left came to Andrés Martin towards the top of the area. On-loan forward Andrés Martín tried a bit of fancy footwork to attempt an airborne volley, however appeared to a mess of his mid-air footwork. The ball instead landed directly in the path of Shashoua, who from 18 yards out, threaded the needle to place his volley just inside the left upright for 1-1.
With 17 minutes in regulation, Tenerife were nearly dealt a death blow, after a hard tackle by Soriano outside of the box had to be reviewed for a possible red card. Luckily for the hosts, the referee’s initial instinct to only show yellow was confirmed.
Moore entered the game as a part of a double-switch in the 68th minute, coming in for left back Carlos Pomares. Despite Zaragoza coming close again in the closing minutes, the game ended with each team earning a point.
Tenerife end the weekend in fifth place, now looking increasingly certain to head to the promotion playoff at the end of the regular season. They will return to the field on Sunday when they visit Jonathan Gomez and Real Sociedad B.
Notes
Sergiño Dest is still injured and did not take part in Barcelona’s 1-0 home win over Sevilla. Barcelona now occupy second place, ahead of Atletico Madrid and Sevilla only by head-to-head record.
After playing 225 minutes for the USMNT in the last international break, Yunus Musah was left on Valencia’s bench on Sunday for their scoreless home draw against Cadiz.
Matthew Hoppe was on the bench but not called into action on Saturday for Mallorca’s 1-0 loss on the road to FC Getafe, in the first game under new head coach Javier Aguirre. The result leaves Mallorca in the relegation zone, with two points to safety and eight games left on the schedule.
Matt Miazga didn’t set foot on the field for Alaves in their 4-1 road loss to Atletico Madrid. The result leaves them in last place, with a six-point gap to safety and eight games left to play.
