Sol y Futbol: Lanzarote Defeated By League Favourites

LANZAROTE 1 GUADALAJARA 2

13th September 2009

Two enormous errors inside the opening 15 minutes gave Guadalajara their third consecutive victory confirming their status as one of the favorites for promotion.

The visitors made their intent clear with a strike on goal within the first five seconds of the match. In the 5th minute striker Gustavo Souto blasted over from inside the six yard box. The Guadalajara striker was going to prove to be the thorn in the side of a shaky Lanzarote defence.

Moments later and Lanzarote almost took the lead. A volley from winger José Manuel from the edge of the box was brilliantly finger tipped away to safety by the impressive Nuñez in the Guadalajara goal. From the resulting corner a catastrophe occurred. Most of Lanzarote´s defence were up for the corner but Maciot played the ball short which was superbly read and intercepted by the visitors defence. Lanzarote had been caught and within seconds Gustavo Souta inflicted full punishment as he buried the ball past Lanzarote´s number one Floro giving his side a 0-1 lead.

The Rojillos winger José Manuel forced another good save from Nuñez in the 9th minute but five minutes later and Lanzarote were robbed of possession in the centre of the park, the ball was immediately distributed to the right wing to Rubén Cuesta and he instantly delivered an inch perfect cross to team mate Gustavo Souto who nodded home from five yards giving the Rojillos keeper no chance.

0-2 down and with the Lanzarote defence leaking like a burst pipe a moment of inspiration was needed. In the 22nd minute a thunderous 20 yard volley from Captain Vladamir flew in off the upright reducing the visitor’s advantage by 1-2. The remainder of the half was more subdued with no clear chances for either side.

Lanzarote dominated the second half and with the introduction of the temperamental striker Toñito a goal seemed certain in coming. The best of the chances occurred in the 70th minute. A perfectly weighted cross to the far post found the unmarked Toñito but the striker could not convert blasting over the bar from eight yards.

Lanzarote went in search of an equalizer and were leaving gaps at the back making it dangerous for a team of the strike quality of Guadalajara. Five minutes from time Gustavo Souta was brought down by keeper Floro and the striker looked odds on for his hat trick. His strike sent Floro the wrong way but at last his accuracy let him down as his low shot ran past the left hand post.

Lanzarote could not capitalize on their good fortune and after their second successive defeat see themselves slip down to 13th position. Next week Lanzarote travel to Madrid and face unbeaten Alcorcon.