Match Report: CD Jávea 1-3 UD Beniganim

Monday 10th October 2022 – Mike Smith
Source: Original with additions by XAD

Thirteen yellow cards and two reds marked a controversial encounter at the Campo d’Esports Municipal in Xàbia, a 1-3 defeat for the home side that leaves them in the relegation zone and just one point off the very bottom of the table. Referee Alba Felix seemingly lost control of a heated match in the final 30 minutes with several debatable decisions and handing out cautions for any evidence of dissent. And the action continued in the tunnel after the game as emotions spilled over and the two sides had to be separated by staff.

The signs that it was not going to go well for the home side showed themselves in the opening seconds of the game when Beniganim’s Iglesias fired into the side netting from just inside the area. A few minutes later, Jávea’s Paco collects a loose through ball in his own half, sees the keeper well off his line and tries an audacious shot from the halfway line, forcing the custodian to back pedal furiously and pull the ball out of the air just yards off the goal.

On 17 minutes, Jávea’s shaky defence make a complete hash of clearing the ball after a low cross from the right, allowing Beniganim’s Alexis to get in a snatched low shot which went just wide of the right-hand post. A couple of minutes later, Beniganim has another chance when Tormo was able to get off a shot from the edge of the area, despite being under pressure, but his effort hit the left post and off for a goal-kick.

Midway through the first half, Jávea managed to force the first corner of the game, taken by Javi, but it comes to nothing. Two minutes later, Javea’s Luis García rushed down the left, pulls in for a low shot from an angle but it was easily saved by the keeper. As the home side grew in confidence, Luis Gracía was on hand again to work with Rubén down the left before he pulled inside again to try a shot which was blocked; he tees himself up for another try but gets mixed up with team-mate Javi and the ball was cleared by Beniganim.

Three minutes before half-time, Beniganim forced a corner and the tricky duo of Iglesia and Alexis once again combined well but the home defence holds out and clears the ball to force a counter-attack which ended with Toni firing well wide and high. As the seconds ticked on to the break, Beniganim took the lead, that magical duo of Iglesia and Alexis pushing easily through the middle before the latter pushes the ball beyond the advancing keeper which rebounds off the post and into the net.

The second half, a controversial 45 minutes, started brightly for CD Jávea when substitute José Cabo collecting a perfectly weighted through ball from Javi which he lifted comfortably over the keeper to make it 1-1. The home side applied the pressure, José Cabo almost doubling his account for the season but his low shot was easily saved.

On 73 minutes, a high cross into the area from Javi on the left was palmed out by the keeper almost under the bar and the ball was partially cleared. Both Luis Garcia and Javi struggled to get a shot through the crowded area before the ball fell to Mario just outside the box and his powerful shot forced the Beniganim keeper into a splendid full stretch save – one for the photo album – and the ball was cleared once again.

As the game moved towards the final ten minutes, Beniganim regained the lead through substitute Adri, who scored very much against the run of play, the home keeper beaten by a low cross from the left which was simply side-footed home.

Tempers frayed. Javea’s Javi, who had been booked for dissent earlier in the half, was absolutely furious about an arguable decision from the referee, unfortunately one of many, and his mouth got the better of him, the official having no choice but to show the midfielder a second yellow and the route to the dressing room.

With four minutes remaining, Jávea almost equalised again but the powerful header from Vargas, after some good work down the right, sailed millimetres wide of the goal. And then Jávea were reduced to nine men when Paco was shown a second yellow for a rather innocuous foul.

Seconds before the final whistle, Beniganim put the game beyond any doubt, very much against the run of play, when Migue slid the ball into an empty net.

CD Jávea. Tonet, Joan, Caturla, Paco, Mario (Vargas, 80m),Fran (Willy, 69m), Ramis (Lachaan, 67m), Javi, Luis García, Rubén (Cabo, 46m), Toni (Tomás, 46m).
Subs not used: Aaron (GK), Lachaan, Mut.

UD Benigánim. Pablo, Asensio (Adri, 64m), Aleja (Cayo, 64m), Juanan, Jorge, Migue, Iglesias (Jete, 82m), Alexis, Javi (Edu, 70m), Miquel, Tormo.
Subs not used: Rincon (GK), Martínez, Iglesia.

Referee: Alba Felix Egrea.
Assistant Referees: Andrés Ballesteros Moreno and Daniel Joaquin Romero López.

Yellow Cards:
29m – Juanan (UD Beniganim)
30m – Paco (CD Jávea)
30m – Javi (UD Beniganim)
52m – Fran (CD Jávea)
60m – Luis García (CD Jávea)
67m – Javi (CD Jávea)
68m – Alexis (UD Beniganim)
75m – Mario (CD Jávea)
82m – Tomás (CD Jávea)
85m – Cayo (UD Beniganim)
87m – Tonet (CD Jávea)

Red Card:
83m – Javi (CD Jávea) · second booking
90m – Paco (CD Jávea) · second booking

Season 2022-23 Fixtures, Results and Statistics