There was not a full meeting of all the First Division teams for the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey (draw, this Monday at 6:30 p.m.). The majority suffered in very close matches that were resolved with goals in the last minutes, and Las Palmas was the only team in the top category that was eliminated in the island duel. At the Heliodoro Rodríguez López, Asier Garitano’s Tenerife struck down García Pimienta’s Las Palmas with two goals in 20 minutes, from Amo (m. 4) and Luismi Cruz (m. 21).
In A Malata, in one of the most intense duels of the day, a Sevilla in low hours and full of casualties beat Racing de Ferrol with a goal from Juanlu in the 86th minute. Marcao scored the 0-1 volley in the 29th minute. The Brazilian center back returned to ownership after eight months and did so, moreover, hours after the death of his father. Manzanara scored with a header to tie it at 1 in the 49th minute but the same defender would be sent off in the 74th minute. With one more, Sevilla went ahead. Salas hit the crossbar with a header and Juanlu scored after a cross from Suso in the 86th minute, when the game was heading to extra time. Racing had not lost in its stadium for more than a year.
In another very exciting duel and with alternatives on the scoreboard, Celta defeated SD Amorebieta (2-4) in a field converted into a quagmire that conditioned everything. A double from Douvikas allowed Celta to overcome the resistance of the locals, who led 2-1. Celta, which is in its centenary year, has not reached the round of 16 since 2018.
Osasuna, current runners-up in the tournament, also had a bad time in Castalia against Castellón. The rojillos missed multiple opportunities and the game went to extra time, where the locals, already physically weakened, could not prevent a goal from Arnáiz in the 107th minute. The goal upset the Navarrese team, who would have time to crash two more balls into the wood.
In El Plantío, Mallorca also reached the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey with a resounding result, but one that does not fully reflect what was seen on the pitch. Burgos stood up and in many sections of the match they were better. The three goals for the Balearic team came in the second half, the work of Gio González, Larin and Abdón Prats.
At the Reina Sofía stadium in Salamanca the match between Unionistas and Villarreal was suspended when it went to extra time at 1-1. Ilias had scored for the groguet team in the 81st minute, but Alfred Planas had equalized with a penalty in the 86th minute. According to Villarreal, the two teams wanted to continue playing when the light was restored but the referee prevented it. “Both Villarreal and Unionistas have had the will to continue the match tonight. Thus, after the problems with the lighting, it was the referee, unilaterally, who decided to suspend the match when he considered that the optimal conditions were not met. “Both teams are subject to notification of the new schedule,” Villarreal explained in a statement. The resumption will be played this Monday.
Valencia eliminated Cartagena in extra time. At the end of the match the score was 1-1 after goals from Ortuño and Canós. In the 105th minute, a goal from Gayá gave Baraja’s team the pass. Valencia suffered the unspeakable.
Athletic had it much easier in Ipurúa, where they already beat Eibar 0-3 at half-time with a double from Asier Villalibre and another goal from Muniain with an undoubted success: three shots on goal and three goals. There are already 22 consecutive ties for the lions to come out ahead in a single match. Athletic now has twelve consecutive games without defeat between the League and the Copa del Rey.
At La Rosaleda, Real Sociedad beat Málaga with an own goal from Einar Galilea after a corner kick at the beginning of the second half. Málaga tried until the end, but did not create clear scoring chances.
