Real Oviedo 1 Compostela 0

Real Oviedo leave Compostela in a heap

Oviedo seal important win in difficult conditions

Real Oviedo were triumphant again on a miserable evening at the Carlos Tartiere. The game was played from start to finish in torrential rain with the pitch looking flooded in parts with puddles in most places.

Coach Sergio Egea made 3 changes to the team from last weeks win at Tropezon with Dani Bautista back in at left back to replace Oscar. Generelo made way for Omgba and Sergio Garcia returned in place of the injured Borja Valle.

In a game of few chances it was the visitors who made the brighter start without testing Esteban in the Oviedo goal. They seemed to move the ball around confidently given the conditions

Oviedo took until 20 minutes were on the clock to muster an attack and after a good move down the left, Marqueta in the Compostela goal came out to thwart Sergio Garcia when he looked to take the ball round the keeper. Just 2 minutes later though and the decisive breakthrough came. Oviedo won a free kick on the left hand side and Susaeta whipped in a good delivery for Jonathan Vila to flick the ball goalwards with his head from about 12 yards out and the ball hit the base of the post, bounced into  the keeper and trickled over the line. It was a welcome breakthrough and the defenders first goal for Real Oviedo.

A few moments later and Sergio Garcia tried his luck from 25 yards out but his effort cleared the bar. The final chance of the first half came just after the half hour mark and it was a Susaeta free kick. It was wonderfully hit but just narrowly cleared the cross bar. The rest of the half was a midfield battle as both teams struggled to cope with the treacherous conditions. Players at times losing control of the ball as it was just stopping in one of the many puddles.

Oviedo had a good chance to double their lead right at the start of the second period. Bautista fired in a cross to Linares who controlled and beat his man but from 8 yards out, lost his footing at the vital moment and could only stab his effort wide. Compostela were pressing for the majority of the first part of the second half but Oviedo were defending well and although Compostela were having good possession high up the pitch they were not creating the chances their possession should have done. Their only real chance of the game came on 68 minutes when  Oviedo failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to Teles. His volleyed effort looked to be heading towards the far bottom corner but thankfully a puddle came to the rescue and slowed the ball down and Esteban could grab easily. In all honest Compostela were dominating the second half but it was Oviedo who twice should have added to the score before the end of the game. First a swift counter attack resulted in a two on one situation and it was Linares who fed substitute Eneko with the goal at his mercy from 8 yards but he blazed wildly over the bar. In his defence the ball did seem to skid off the surface and gathered pace before it reached his foot. In the final minute another chance to put the game to bed came and went and again it was another counter attack. This time Eneko was the provider as his pass fed Sene who again with the goal at his mercy seemed to be stuck in two minds and shot straight at the keepers legs and the ball looped away for a corner.

It didn’t matter though as the referee bought the game to an end and the important 3 points were ours. It was another huge win and puts the pressure on Logrones and Murcia who play tomorrow. Guijuelo have kept up the pace though. They won earlier today 3-0 against Langreo.

This was a battling 3 points from Los Carbayones. We really had to grind the result out today. We defended excellently and fully deserved maximum points for this alone. David Fernandez and Jonathan Vila at the back stood firm but we defended well as a team. Fernandez though in the last few games has found his best form in a Real Oviedo shirt.

Attention once again now turns to the Copa del Rey as we travel to San Sebastian on Wednesday night for the 2^nd leg of our tie with Real Sociedad before playing our final league game of 2014 on Saturday when we travel to play Somozas.