Bitter return for Rubén de la Barrera to the Carlos Belmonte. Applause greeted the coach who led the team to promotion to Segunda División and then announced his departure weeks later, but a harsh setback on the pitch with an Albacete victory leaves Cultu on the verge of relegation to Primera RFEF.
The match started intensely, with both teams seeking the goal. Alberto González packed the midfield with four players shielding lone striker Jefté Betancor. De la Barrera opted for a brave double striker setup with Luis Chacón and Rubén Sobrino up front, while Bicho and Radoja manned the engine room to control the game.
Cultu tried to build from the back, but Albacete’s high press forced errors in their own half. This led to the first chance of the match: a free kick from the edge of the area in the 5th minute that Jefté sent over the goal. For Cultu, the offensive display was poor in the opening stages, with only a timid shot from Chacón from the edge of the area in the 8th minute.
Jefté had the first chance, and then the second. A Cultu error in possession led to a one-on-one for the Canary striker, but he failed to beat Edgar Badía in the 15th minute. The third time was the charm: Alejandro Morilla awarded a penalty in the 28th minute for a handball by Víctor García, and Betancor converted, deceiving Edgar Badía. 1-0, deepening Cultu’s survival troubles.
After the goal, Rubén de la Barrera’s side stepped forward, enjoyed long spells of possession, and nearly equalized with a shot from Iván Calero that hit the woodwork after Mariño’s save. The teams went into halftime at 1-0, with Albacete not showing their best version and a powerless Cultu lacking clarity in the final third.
The second half began at full speed, with a clear chance for each team. Radoja missed a one-on-one with Mariño, who once again stood tall, and a minute later Lorenzo Aguado drove into the area and fired his shot off the right post of Edgar Badía’s goal.
With Cultu piled on in Mariño’s area, Alberto González’s side had several opportunities to seal the game. Jogo hit Badía’s crossbar in the 61st minute, and Jefté did the same a minute later with a good header close to the post. Both coaches made changes, with Cultu going more offensive and Albacete looking to contain, seeing three new points within reach.
Albacete 2 – Cultural 1
Grades and failures for Albacete against Cultural: Capi celebrates his renewal with a goal
Albacete Balompié 2 – Cultural Leonesa 1
Albacete wins in a dull match
The game’s final moments turned chaotic: Ribeiro equalized with a header for Cultu in the 88th minute, but the joy lasted less than a minute as Capi, in the opposing area, scored the definitive 2-1. Iván Calero saw a red card after a kick-out at Dani Bernabéu, and the match ended soon after. Mid-table for Albacete, who now have 53 points, while Cultural remain bottom with 33 points, six points from safety.
