Quintanar del Rey Club was one step away from writing one of the greatest stories of the Copa del Rey, but it ended up falling in extra time to Elche (1-2) at the San Marcos Municipal Stadium, which provided a festive atmosphere, with… … About two thousand spectators push their team. The enthusiasm and effort exerted by the people of Cuenca were not enough to overthrow a first-class competitor who suffered more than expected and was only able to seal his classification in the final minutes of extra time.
The match followed the usual scenario for these cup duels: Quintanar is brave, organized, competitive, and willing to give his all to his fansAgainst Elche, who tried to impose their quality and experience.
After a balanced first half The Elche team was able to open the scoring immediately after the start of the second half.. In the 48th minute, Ali Hawari completed a twisty play and silenced the stands momentarily to make the score 0-1.
Despite the strike, the local team did not collapse. On the contrary, he took a step forward, extended the attack and found reward for his persistence.. In the 70th minute, Eric Iglesias took advantage of a brilliant attacking move to equalize the tie with a precise shot. That lit up San Marcos and suddenly brought back hope. Quintanar was dreaming and Elche began to look at the clock.
The meeting was followed by the First Vice President, José Luis Martínez Guijarro
The score of 1-1 took the duel to extra time in which fatigue began to appear on both teams, even though the score was 1-1. Venues continued to maintain the energy of their audiences. A penalty shootout already looked inevitable when the final blow came in the 118th minute. Hector Forte collected a loose ball in the penalty area and made it 1-2, putting Elche through and leaving Quintanar del Rey’s immense dedication unrewarded.
Despite the defeat, the Cuenca team leaves the Copa del Rey with their heads held high and applause from the fans who knew how to recognize the effort, The courage and almost miracle of pushing a superior competitor to the limits.