CADIZFC.NET
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CADIZFC.NET
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 Cadiz got their 2005/06 season underway with a respectable and perhaps unlucky defeat at home to Real Madrid. With over 20,000 Cadistas packed into the new look Carranza, the vast majority being season ticket holders, Los Gallacticos must have known they were in for a match as they entered the field of play. Large banners were draped accross the new Fondo Sur end, depicting the stages of last seasons triumph, from the trip to the Chapin, Paz's penalty and the final jubilation in the city centre. Madrid lined up with new signing Julio Baptista in the starting XI, along with stars such as Ronaldo, Zidane and Beckham, whilst Esparrago kept faith with eleven players who performed so well for the club last year. Suarez and Fleurquin were picked to try and break up the midfield, while Pavoni played behind Oli to try and link up any attacking possession the home side could get. The match started to a deafening roar, and the fans that had waited outside the Playa Victoria hotel to 'welcome' the Madrid players to Cadiz were now throwing their support behind their own heroes for the first time this season. Unfortunately the excitement was quickly dampened. Ronaldo collected a ball from midfield and effortlessly spun away from De Quintana, before curling a sublime side foot into the bottom right hand corner of the goal past the despairing dive of Armando. With Barcelona dropping points at Alaves, the relief on the galacticos was evident and they swarmed around the Brazilian scorer. The fans quickly regained their composure and the roar returned to all four corners of the stadium, although many must have feared a landslide after being 0-1 down after four minutes. It didnt happen though as the home side bravely fought back, and spurred on by the home fans they had the better of the rest of the first half. Oli and Pavoni both looked lively, and as a result they won numerous freekicks around the opposing area. One was curled goalwards by Enrique, only to narrowly evade what surely would have been a goal scoring touch from five or six on rushing players. Another freekick found the head of fans favourite Oli via a flick on, but such was the pace of the ball he could only deflect it back towards the far post, where it sailed agonisingly wide. Enrique then tested Casillas with a long range dipping volley after Madrid had failed to clear another set piece, and and equaliser genuinely looked on the cards. Casillas was then lucky to avoid embarrassment when he dropped a simple catch at the feet of Jonathan Sesma, but he made up for it by blocking the wingers attempted overhead kick wide for a corner. The best chances at the other end were a cross-shot from Roberto Carlos which narrowly missed Rauls lunge, and a Beckham freekick which crashed into the wall. Half time came and it was certainly the visitors who were the happiest to get back to their changing room. The second half started as the first had ended, with Cadiz pushing for an
equaliser. As the final whistle went, the fans applauded off both sets of players, but mainly their own who had played with such pride that they proved they are capable of matching one of the best teams in the world. Beckham generously applauded all four sides of the ground as he left the pitch, acknowledging what must be one of the finest sets of supporters in Spain. Press reports stating that Florentino Pérez had been abused as he left the ground were denied by both clubs, with the Madrid president releasing an official notice in which he described the Cadiz fans as "some of the best in Europe". All eyes now will be on whether the team can perform as admirably against the so called lesser teams, starting with the trip to Santander next Sunday. |
With no change in the score after 55 minutes, Esparrago introduced two new
summer signings, Estoyanoff and Benjamin for Suarez and Enrique. After numerous
goalmouth scrambles the breakthrough came just after the hour. Madrid failed to
clear a setpiece, and when Oli headed the ball back into the danger area, Pavoni
swivelled and volleyed the ball into the far bottom corner to the delight of
everyone in the Carranza. As the players ran off in front of the Fondo Norte to
celebrate, the fans jumped in almost disbelief that their club who were not long
ago playing in the Segunda B league, were now drawing with the mighty Real
Madrid. Perhaps their dreams were possible. Unfortunaetely the game swung back
into Madrids favour minutes later. Thomas Gravesen, who had won himself few
friends in the stadium by giving away many fouls and eventually getting booked,
was replaced by new recruit Robinho. The Brazilians influence on the game was
instant and his skill was apparent for all to see from the outset. Raul had the
next chance, but Armando was more than equal to it as he pushed the ball over
for a corner. Cadiz refused to lie down, but with Robinho in such fine form,
many teams would have struggled to contain an attack that contained so many of
the worlds best players. The winning goal came after 84 minutes, when Beckham
picked out Robinho, he slotted the ball into the path of Ronaldo, and as Armando
approached he cooly rolled the ball sideways for captain Raul to pass the ball
into an empty net. Esparrago threw on Medina in the search of an equaliser, but
despite a couple of hopeful tumbles in the box the action stayed nearer the
Cadiz goal. One move saw Robinho mesmerize Varela with 6 or 7 stepovers, whilst
another saw defender Helguera smash the underside of the bar from close range.