Racing Ferrol 4 Real Oviedo 1

Real Oviedo slump to heavy defeat

Los Carbayones bought crashing down to earth

After the euphoria of beating UD Logrones last week to top the table, Real Oviedo were bought back down to earth with a thud as they slipped to a heavy 4-1 defeat at Racing Ferrol. Sergio Egea made several changes to last week’s starting line up and it showed. Some were enforced where as others were tactical. Last weeks full backs Nacho Lopez (Injured) and David Fernandez missed out and were replaced by Diegui and Eneko. Fernandez was amongst the substitutes. Generelo and Sene came in to replace Jon Erice who dropped to the bench and Hector Font who was supposedly rested for Wednesday night’s cup-tie.

It was an open game from the off and Oviedo were first to threaten creating 2 chances in the opening minutes. Sergio Garcia burst down the right but his cross could not be met by Linares who was inches away from connecting. Susaeta then hit the side netting from the left hand side after Generelo fed him. The home side though seemed to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and created 2 chances of their own shortly after. Captain Pablo Rey fired in a free kick which Esteban tipped over and the home side also had a shout for a penalty after the ball struck Eneko on the arm. It was unintentional though. Racing were on top now and took the lead mid way through the first half. It was a stunning goal from Pablo Rey curling in a free kick from 25 yards right into the top corner. It was a superb strike that Andrea Pirlo would have been proud of. Oviedo were struggling to get their front players into the game  and it took until 5 minutes before the interval before their next chance when Garcia was fed the ball and seemed to be clear through but Racing defender Antonio managed to get back to block the wingers shot. Then on half time came a hammer blow in the form of a second goal. A simple in swinging corner was met by Antonio who beat Linares and Esteban in the air. Esteban had come off his line and got stranded. Antonio just nodded into the empty net. It was a poor goal to concede and a poor time to concede it.

Obviously upset with the disjointed first half performance Egea made 2 changes at the interval with Diego Cervero and Jon Erice coming on to replace Omgba and Susaeta.

This seemed to make an immediate impact as we improved straight away in the second half. Sene could have scored twice in the opening 5 minutes of the second half. He volleyed inches over from the edge of the box and forced the keeper Mackay into a smart save following a scramble in the box. On 54 minutes, Oviedo thought they had pulled a goal back when Cervero beat Mackay at his near post but the linesman had flagged for an offside in the build up. Replays showed it was a marginal decision. Just 5 minutes later and Oviedo’s luck was in short supply again as Linares met  Cervero’s back post header to head goal wards himself, only to see his effort hit the bar, bounce down onto the goal line and away to safety. It was proving to be one of those days and that was summed up 10 minutes from time when against the run of play Racing made it 3-0 with a free kick that was possibly even better than the first. Substitute Marcos Alvarez was 30-35 yards from goal but his curling effort flew in to the far top corner. It was yet another stunning strike and one of many wonder goals scored against us of late. Racing rubbed salt into the wounds in the last minute by adding another. Right back Alvaro was allowed to waltz into the area before feeding Forte who from 6 yards strolled past stationary Oviedo defenders to slot home for the fourth of the afternoon. Diego Cervero restored some pride almost immediately when he controlled a long ball on his chest before turning and firing home for a consolation goal. This was the final kick of the game and the referee bought to an end a miserable afternoon for Los Carbayones. It was the first half perfomance which probably cost us the match despite missed chances in the second half and things may have been different had the flag not gone up for Cervero’s disallowed goal. We must quickly put this game out of our system though and respond in the right manner by beating UCAM Murcia on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey. Maybe some of the player’s minds were already on that game. A win on Wednesday will see us paired with a La Liga giant in the next round.