CD Tenerife 2 - Almeria 2 Game notes

Not suitable for fans with heart conditions should have been the notice on the gates as the fans entered. This was a game CD Tenerife really needed to win and the players really tried their best. In the first minute Roman had a shot on goal which was saved by Diego Alves. Not for nothing is this man rumoured to be going to Real Madrid as their second keeper. Shot after shot CD Tenerife aimed at the goal and Alves saved nearly everything. Only in the 14th minute and the last minute of extra time did CD Tenerife manage to score. A draw leaves them with hope to go to Valencia next weekend. A Valencia who have nothing to play for and lost last night 2-0 to Vallareal who had 2 men less on the field. Although it will not be easy CD Tenerife has the chance to save themselves. The really sad thing is the yellow cards mean neither Marc nor Ayoze can play. Alfaro had his last game in front of the home crowd as he and Dinei are due to return to their own teams.


CD TENERIFE 2 (1)
UD ALMERÍA 2 (1)

CD TENERIFE
Sergio Aragoneses; Marc Bertrán, Culebras (Ángel, 86’), Pablo Sicilia, Héctor; Ricardo, Román Martínez; Juanlu Hens (Dinei, 60’), Alfaro (Omar Ramos, 86’), Ayoze & Nino.
TRAINER: José Luis Oltra

UD ALMERÍA
Diego Alves; Ortiz, Chico, Acasiete, Cisma; Bernardillo, Mbami; Corona (Borzani, 91’), Soriano (Vargas, 86’), Crusat (David Rodríguez, 86’) & Piatti.
TRAINER: Juan Manuel Lillo

REFEREE
Miguel Ángel Pérez Lasa, from the Basque region. Yellow cards for local players, Ayoze (19’) & Marc Bertrán (38’), also for visitors, Crusat (24’) y Corona (49’).

GOALS
1-0: (14’) Marc Bertrán, from in fornt of the goal, with his left foot, surprising Diego Alves. 1-1: (17’) Piatti made the most of a linsmans error, when he was in clear offside, to cross the ball in front of Sergio Aragoneses. 1-2: (80’) Crusat made the most of a defensive error to score in the empty goal. 2-2: (93’) Nino, from the floor, pushing in a shot by Dinei.

INCIDENTS
Thirty seventh round of the Liga BBVA in Primera División. Played in the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with 20.810 spectators. CD Tenerife invited the female volley ball team Jamper Aguere to be at the game, to reconise their title as winners of the femal Superleague, but because of time constraints for the last two rounds, they were unable to come onto the ground.

Wanted - 12th man.

Without a doubt if the 12th man was needed in the stadium for a game it would be for tomorrows. CD Tenerife fans have stepped up to the plate. Whilst other teams are selling off tickets cheap to fill their stadiums, CD Tenerife is almost sold out for tomorrows game against Almeria at full price. This morning at 1pm there were only a few seats left in Tribuna with all the other stands full.

 Fans queueing yesterday morning







Ayoze, a home grown player has announced that they will play like this is the last game in their lives. And some would say we should expect this.What I see is a team who have worked hard to the best of their abilities and have played the very best they can. That their best has not always been as good as the fans would have liked is another thing but the team will I am sure leave nothing in the changing room and come out to show the fans we can be proud of them.

Ricardo Melchior president of the Western Canary Isles,  the Cabildo de Tenerife, stated yesterday, It is important for the island to have a first division team and we should all support them. The players coaches and management are all doing their part. This Saturday we play against Almeria and we need the three points. If we can gain the points we have a good chance to stay in Premier the first division in Spain." He continued, " I am convinced that the players will have the unconditional support of the fans in the games that are left this season. Last year the fans were an important factor in the teams ascending form the second division and we should all help them to remain where they are. This has a worldwide repercussion on the island as Spain's league is probably the most important in the world because of the quality of its teams and players. For Tenerife and the Tenerifians whether they are football fans or not it is important for the world to know where we are and First division Spanish football is a great promotion vehicle".

There is again a call for the fans to greet the team tomorrow afternoon. They will be arriving at 18.15 of the Tribuna side of the stadium. The club has asked the fans who have CREEMOS shirts to wear them. They will also be selling the shirts at the symbolic price of 1 euro at the same time. The back of these shirts have the 13 seasons that CD Tenerife have spent in the Spanish first division.

Trainer Jose Luis Oltra has named the following players for tomorrows game: Sergio Aragoneses, Luis García, Marc Bertrán, Culebras, Manolo Martínez, Héctor, Pablo Sicilia, Mikel Alonso, Ricardo, Román, Richi, Juanlu, Ayoze, Alfaro, Nino, Dinei, Omar & Ángel. In his interview today he commented that "every week the game is more important. If we win against Almeria we will have moved a giant step towards salvation. We know our rival will give us nothing and we will need to play our best but always wisely".

Following this theme he continued "We need to gain a victory at the end of the 90 minutes. In my mind are the six points that are left for us and I think we can achieve them. Right now we need to beat Almeria. We can play in one field and our rivals will do what they can. Knowing their trainer they will play a style like Barcelona. They have great style, are technically strong and although they are virtually saved things could be difficult". He then followed this by saying, "lets see if we are in a good position when we get to Valencia and only need to depend on ourselves. We need to apply pressure in the games and our rivals need to realise right from the start that if they want to make a point here they will need to fight."
When asked about the players he said "If there is something this group has it is how to live in difficult times. What the team has shown me is their commitment, sense of responsibility, their desire to win, their union as a group and their strength"
He commented that the fans were spectacular. That they had supported the team continually and that he hoped that at the end the fans would be proud of the team. That together the team and the fans had lived through many dark days and now they deserved to win.

1-1 draw in Almeria.

Game Notes

UD ALMERÍA 1 (0)
CD TENERIFE 1 (1)

UD ALMERÍA
Diego Alves; Míchel, Cisma, Chico, Acasiete; Soriano, Bernardello, Piati, Crusat (Ortiz, 86’), Corona (Nieto, 80’); & Goitom (Solari, 89’).

CD TENERIFE
Sergio Aragoneses; Marc Bertrán, Pablo Sicilia, Ezequiel Luna, Manolo Martínez; Ricardo, Mikel Alonso (Ayoze, 73’), Juanlu Hens, Kome (Richi, 61’); Alfaro (Ángel, 86’) & Nino.

REFEREE
Velasco Carballo, from Madrid.Sent off local player Piati (66’), for two yellow cards. Yellow cards for visitors Kome, Marc Bertrán, Ricardo, Luna, Mikel Alonso, Ayoze y Richi.

GOALS
0-1: (1’) Juanlu, from a ball pushed away by the keeper. 1-1: (60’) Goitom, from a cross pass.

INCIDENTS
Played in the Juegos Mediterráneos stadium. Grass was in good condition. Warm afternoonin front of 17.732 espectadores. First time the club had sold out this season.

Marc Bertran back at last.

The right defender Marc Bertran is back to playing for the Club Deportivo Tenerife team for the first time since his injury during the Real Madrid game last September. A broken ankle after a foul by Dutch player Royston Drenthe left him several months on the bench. Trainer Jose Luis Oltra has finally picked him as fit to play for the game in Almeria. The team departed this afternoon for the Costa Brava for the game Sunday afternoon.

"I am good to play or at least I feel fit. I am pleased by the support that I have been show by the fans and the club. I am completely ready with a need to play after so much time off." stated the Catalan player yesterday when interviewed by Marca a Spanish sports paper.

In the time Marc was sick the trainer from Levante has tried various players in his place including Ezequiel Luna and his theoretical substitute the young Aitor Nunez. When this hasn't worked he has taken midfielder Juanlu Hens back to try to fill the place.

Looking for a strong defence.

When the team position is analysed he is concious" we have been missing a little luck, we have not been solid in defense or scored whn we got to the goal." also when asked about tomorrows game he commented "the best would be if we can score an early goal."

Jose Luis Oltra has also recovered Juanlu Hens from the injury bench so the probability is they will play together as this coupling gave great results last season. On the down side Omar Ramos is still not able to play with leg muscle injuries.

There is a certain mmout of superstition in reference to away games with one fan going back to watch the game in a bar where he watched the Valladolid game where CDT scored one point with a draw and two other Armada Sur fans not going to watch the game at all as they didn't watch the Valladoild game. I hope this works out and the team manage by what ever means luck superstition or otherwise to find 3 points to bring back to Tenerife.

Almeria

This weeks game will be played in the Estadio Juegos Mediterráneos on Sunday the 17th of January at 4pm CET. The referee is Velasco Carballo, who CD Tenerife have won twice and drawn once with.
The players will be flying to the mainland on Saturday and returning after the game on Sunday. The charter plane was also available to fans for 199 euros.

Wednesday' player interviews were with Pablo Sicilia & Ricardo León In the press room in the Mundialito training ground. Their main comment was the need to move on and concentrate on Sunday's upcoming game

Pablo Sicilia commented on the fact that away they had only managed one draw and that they need to change the run of bad luck they have had away as soon as possible. He affirmed the need to compete at the highest level and look for a positive result.
When he was asked about various injured players he cold only reply "we need to respect the decisions that our trainer makes " continuing that "my first goal is still to come this season. I hope it will come soon and be part of our victory"

Ricardo León, on the other hand started talking about the fact the team was up to now in the same position and still not in relegation, He hoped that they would stay where they are and not go down this year. he then said " Almeria is a very motivated team with their new coach, they have had great results with the new trainer"
Lastly the player from Tenerife commented that their style of play wouldn't change " We don't look further then the next rival. I don't think that we should change our game as visitors. We need to remain true to our style of play"

On Thursday Juanlu Hens & Ezequiel Luna were interviewed in The press room in the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium. Both the player from Cordoba and the Argentinian talked of Sundays game and their hopes for a win.

"We need to travel with clear minds and just think in a positive result" declared Juanlu hens. The tenerife footballer confessed that " we gain nothing thinking about the bad run we have had away. Now we are going to Almeria, a direct rival, and this is an important game. So we are going to make the best of it."

Juanlu then commented on " the dynamics of the season is how you escape the relegation positions and race to the end." when asked about his injuries he commented that he was " optimistic and hope to be ready when the trainer picks me"

For his part Ezequiel Luna explained that " we are working well and are thinking about Almeria. Both teams need the points and I hope we will be coming home with them. The numbers tell that we need to improve away, but we always go out to win and things just haven't worked out the way we wanted so far.

The Argentine defender hoped " the bad run we have had will end as soon as possible. In the changing rooms you need to fight for your position to play each week, but you also need to be patient and go on working. Any mistake can cost us a gaol and then everything is more difficult"