CD Estepona 3-1 CD Don Benito: The Rojillos earn their first home win with a great performance

CD Estepona earned its first home win of the season after defeating CD Don Benito 3-1 at the Francisco Muñoz Pérez Municipal Stadium in the match corresponding to Matchday 5 of Group IV of the Segunda Federación. The Estepona team earned three valuable points against one of the teams that had started the season strongest and arrived in Estepona undefeated, with ten points out of a possible twelve and just one goal conceded.
The team coached by Manolo Sánchez had to work hard for many minutes against a well-organized opponent whose clear priority was to keep a clean sheet. Estepona carried much of the weight of the match, especially when in possession, and was ultimately rewarded thanks to goals by Ariel Herrero, who scored twice from the penalty spot, and Ale Contreras, while Emmanuel had managed to tie the game for the team from Extremadura.
In addition to the result, the match featured several standout moments: Ariel Herrero’s two-goal performance, Ale Contreras’s spectacular goal, the playmaking of Julen Jon, Yuste, and Pablo Arriaza, and a decisive save by Manu Pérez in the final minutes that prevented Don Benito from equalizing again.

A Very Organized Don Benito Faces an Estepona Team in Control of the Ball

The match began with CD Estepona ready to take the initiative, something that was quickly reflected in the flow of the game. The Rojillos sought to build from the back through the line formed by José Antonio Caro, Yuste, and Antonio Marín, while Candelas and Ballarín played very deep on the wings.
Up front, Julen Jon and Sandji Baradji were involved in the build-up, with Ale Contreras moving through the attacking third and Héber Pena occupying the right flank, playing on his weaker foot. Up top, Ariel Herrero served as the offensive focal point.
Don Benito, for its part, adopted a very disciplined approach to the game. The team led by José Carlos Prieto Calderón packed players behind the ball and tried to close down the central spaces to force Estepona to look for options down the flanks.
In the opening minutes, the visiting team also made it clear that they could be dangerous on the counterattack. In the 8th minute, Don Benito had one of their first chances when Busi tried to find Gorka Santamaría, though the home defense managed to clear the ball.
As the minutes ticked by, the script didn’t change much. Estepona had more possession, but they were up against an opponent that defended with discipline and didn’t need many chances to create danger.
In the 33rd minute, Fran Martínez had to step in to block a shot by the visitors from the edge of the box, in one of the plays that reminded the red-and-white team that they couldn’t let their guard down.
The match statistics perfectly reflect Estepona’s territorial dominance: the home team finished with approximately 65% possession, compared to Don Benito’s 35%. However, the team from Extremadura managed to match their opponent in shots on goal, with four shots on target for each team.

Estepona Finds the Net Before Halftime

Just when it seemed the match might go into halftime tied at zero, the game entered its most crucial minutes.
In the 42nd minute, Estepona managed to score, but the goal was disallowed for an alleged offside. The play stemmed from a magnificent combination in which Julen Jon found Alfonso Candelas, who managed to get into an attacking position. The home team protested the call, but the goal did not stand.
Don Benito managed to weather that moment of pressure, though just a few minutes later another decisive play unfolded.
In the 44th minute, referee Antonio Pozo Fernández called a penalty in favor of CD Estepona.
The responsibility fell to Ariel Herrero, who didn’t hesitate from the penalty spot. The Rojillo forward took the kick and put the score at 1-0 practically right at halftime.
The goal allowed Estepona to head into the locker room with the lead after a first half in which they had controlled possession and managed to dominate the team from Extremadura for much of the time.
Don Benito, despite trailing, had put together a solid first half and kept their chances alive.

Don Benito Reacts After the Break

The second half began along the same lines, although Don Benito tried to step up their game.
The visiting team made substitutions to boost their offensive presence. Around the 55th minute, Nacho Goma and Nando Copete—two players particularly well-known to Estepona fans—came on, replacing Samu Gomis and Boubacar Keita.
The presence of both players also added a special element to the match, as Don Benito fielded several players with a history at Estepona. Along with Copete and Goma, Boubacar Keita and Samu Gomis were also among the former Rojillos players.
The substitutions were intended to change Don Benito’s offensive approach, and the team gradually began to find more open spaces.
Meanwhile, Estepona continued to try to control the match by moving the ball around. The combination play between Julen Jon, Yuste, Candelas, Marín, and Ale Contreras allowed the home team to overcome the first line of pressure and advance into the opponent’s half.
Manolo Sánchez’s team also continued to create scoring opportunities. On several occasions, Don Benito struggled to contain attacks from the flanks and the runs by the Costa del Sol players.

Emmanuel ties the game

The visitors’ efforts finally paid off in the 70th minute.
Emmanuel managed to get past the home defense and scored the 1-1 equalizer, bringing Don Benito back into the game.
The equalizer momentarily shifted the momentum. The team from Extremadura, which had arrived in Estepona undefeated and boasting one of the best defenses in the group, was rewarded for its resilience.
For CD Estepona, it was time to show their resilience.
And the response wasn’t long in coming.

Ale Contreras scores a spectacular goal

With the score tied, Estepona regained control of the game.
Substitutions and shifts in midfield allowed the Rojillos to regain clarity in their ball movement. Pablo Arriaza, who had come on at the start of the second half, brought fresh energy to the midfield and helped the team regain control.
Don Benito tried to hold on, but Estepona was finding more and more space.
And in the 75th minute, one of the highlights of the afternoon unfolded.
Ale Contreras received the ball on the edge of the box and saw that César Llera was off his line. The Málaga native decided to take a shot that, after deflecting off a visiting defender, turned into a chip that ended up beating the visiting goalkeeper.
A stunning goal by Ale Contreras.
The 2-1 score put CD Estepona back in the lead and sent the Francisco Muñoz Pérez stadium into a frenzy.
The goal was especially important because it came right after Don Benito had managed to tie the game. The red-and-white team didn’t lose heart after the 1-1 tie and regained the lead just five minutes later.
Contreras was also putting in one of his standout performances of the match, constantly contributing to the offensive build-up and finding spaces between the visiting team’s lines.

Don Benito Refuses to Give Up, and Manu Pérez Steps Up

Despite the 2-1 score, the match was far from decided.
Don Benito continued to seek the equalizer and took advantage of any space they found to attack the home goal.
In the final stretch, the team from Extremadura had a crystal-clear chance to tie the game again.
Nando Copete—one of the former CD Estepona players who had come on after halftime—received a through ball and managed to get into a dangerous position.
His shot looked destined to make it 2-2.
But Manu Pérez stepped in.
The goalkeeper, who had entered the game in the second half, made a spectacular save, stretching out to make a decisive stop and prevent the visitors from scoring.
The save was of immense value to the red-and-white team. The match report itself described the save as providential, as it came just as Don Benito was persistently pushing for the equalizer.
With the score still at 2-1, that save allowed Estepona to maintain its lead.

Second Penalty and Ariel Herrero’s Brace

And as the match entered its final minutes, CD Estepona found the back of the net once again.
In the 86th minute, the referee called a second penalty in favor of the home team.
The call sparked protests from the Extremadura-based team, but the decision stood.
Once again, Ariel Herrero stepped up to take the penalty.
The red-and-white forward faced César Llera once more from the penalty spot and scored again.
3-1 for CD Estepona.
The forward thus completed his brace—both goals from the penalty spot—and all but sealed the match.
Don Benito made one final substitution, bringing on Sergio Alonso for Emmanuel, but the match was already firmly under the home team’s control.
The referee added seven minutes of stoppage time, though the score remained unchanged.
The CD Estepona 3-1 CD Don Benito result was a reality.

First Win of the Season at Muñoz Pérez

The final whistle confirmed what the red-and-white fans had been waiting for: CD Estepona secured its first home win of the season.
Manolo Sánchez’s team had earned three points in a tough match against an opponent that came in undefeated and had conceded only one goal in the first four matchdays.
The victory is also significant because of the way it came about.
Estepona had to face a team that was very organized defensively, which maintained a compact formation for much of the match and tried to capitalize on its opportunities.
Estepona, however, dominated possession, created scoring chances, kept pressing after the equalizer, and ultimately prevailed by a two-goal margin.
The match statistics reflect the home team’s dominance: 65% possession for Estepona compared to 35% for Don Benito, three corner kicks to one, and four shots on goal for each team. In addition, the Rojillos committed only four fouls, compared to the visiting team’s twelve.

A special match thanks to the four former Estepona players on Don Benito

The match also had a special element due to the presence on CD Don Benito of four players with a history at CD Estepona.
Nando Copete, Nacho Goma, Boubacar Keita, and Samu Gomis returned to the Francisco Muñoz Pérez Stadium, this time wearing the jersey of the Extremadura-based team.
Copete and Goma entered the game in the second half, and both played key roles in the visitors’ comeback attempt. Copete, in particular, had a clear-cut chance late in the game, though he was denied by an extraordinary save from Manu Pérez.
The return of these players added even more excitement to an afternoon that was already marked by the importance of the three points.

A Victory That Reinforces Manolo Sánchez’s Work

After the match, Manolo Sánchez praised the work done by his players.
The home team’s coach particularly highlighted the team’s control of the game and its ability to manage a match against an opponent that prioritizes defensive solidity.
With this victory, Manolo Sánchez has already earned—in just five matchdays—the same seven points that CD Estepona had when he took over the team in December of last season. The coach was introduced as the new head coach of the red-and-white team on December 13, while the victory over Don Benito came on October 3—a particularly significant date as it coincided with the tragic anniversary of Xavi Molist’s introduction as CD Estepona’s head coach.
Manolo explained that Don Benito is a team that aims to keep a clean sheet, which makes for long and difficult matches. For that reason, he considered it especially important that Estepona was able to maintain the initiative and manage the different phases of the game.
The coach also acknowledged that the 1-1 tie may have raised doubts for a few moments, but he praised his players’ reaction and the mindset of a team that refused to give up on the win.
The performance, therefore, left a positive impression beyond the result: the team was able to control much of the match, respond to the equalizer, and dig deep when necessary to ultimately secure the three points.

A Perfect Afternoon at the Francisco Muñoz Pérez Stadium

The 3-1 win over CD Don Benito means much more than just another victory in the standings.
CD Estepona managed to get the better of an opponent that had started the season in outstanding fashion, ended the Extremadura side’s unbeaten streak, and secured its first home win.
Ariel Herrero was decisive with his two goals from the penalty spot; Ale Contreras scored one of the afternoon’s most spectacular goals with a magnificent chip shot; and Manu Pérez stepped up at the most critical moment to prevent Don Benito from equalizing again.
The Rojillos also demonstrated their ability to bounce back from Emmanuel’s equalizer and regain control of the match.
It was a hard-fought, hard-earned victory celebrated by fans who were able to enjoy one of CD Estepona’s most complete performances so far this season.
The Francisco Muñoz Pérez stadium thus witnessed an afternoon of three points, four goals, and, above all, CD Estepona’s first victory in front of its home crowd.
If you’d like to relive the match and watch it again, click here.

Match Details

Second Federation – Group IV | Matchday 5
CD Estepona 3-1 CD Don Benito
Francisco Muñoz Pérez Municipal Stadium
Saturday, October 3, 2026
7:00 p.m.
Goals:

• 45' Ariel Herrero (pen.)
• 70' Emmanuel
• 75' Ale Contreras
• 87' Ariel Herrero (pen.)
  CD Estepona: Fran Martínez, Candelas, Yuste, Héber Pena, Julen Jon, Ariel Herrero, Ale Contreras, Ballarín, Sandji Baradji, Marín, and José Antonio Caro (C).
  Also played: Pablo Arriaza, Alberto González, Manuel Jesús Pérez, Bakary Sow, and Maxi Benites.
  CD Don Benito: César Llera, Raúl Castro, Samu Gomis, Rubén Sánchez, Keita, Carlos López, Gorka Santamaría, Philip Osei, Emmanuel, Busi, and Lolo Pavón (C).
  Also played: Antonio Pavón, Nando Copete, Nacho Goma, Asier, and Sergio Alonso.
  Coaches: Manolo Sánchez Cámara (CD Estepona) and José Carlos Prieto Calderón (CD Don Benito).
  Referee: Antonio Pozo Fernández.
  Assistant referees: José Antonio Japón Layosa and Rafael Soler Romero.
  Yellow cards: Ariel Herrero (90') for CD Estepona; Antonio Pavón (58'), Raúl Castro (59'), Manuel Pavón (86'), and José Carlos Prieto Calderón (76') for CD Don Benito.
  Approximate statistics:
• Possession: CD Estepona 65% – 35% CD Don Benito
• Shots on goal: 4 – 4
• Shots off target: 2 – 0
• Corner kicks: 3 – 1
• Offsides: 7 – 4
• Fouls: 4 – 12
• Yellow cards: 1 – 3

CD Estepona Fans | The Voice of the Fans