CD Estepona's reserve team secured an important victory over CD Cártama and took home the three points (0-2)

The CD Estepona reserve team secured an important victory this Saturday on the road against CD Cártama, defeating them 0-2 at the José Villegas Municipal Stadium in a match for the eighth round of the Primera Andaluza Sénior de Málaga. Goals by Francis Araujo and Claum Hatton allowed the team coached by Carlos Díaz to earn three valuable points in a tough match marked by defensive struggles and strong teamwork.

The match was no easy task for the Estepona side. The small size of the field and the opponent’s style of play forced the reserve team to put in a significant defensive effort. CD Cártama had several clear chances to take the lead, but they were thwarted by an inspired Rubén Contreras, who once again demonstrated his importance between the posts. Particularly noteworthy was a save in a one-on-one situation, in which he stuck out a providential foot to prevent the goal and keep his team in contention for the win.

The reserve team managed to hold on and capitalize on their opportunities. In the 70th minute, Francis Araujo opened the scoring for the visitors, putting the score at 0-1. The match became even more difficult for the home team when Manuel Hermoso was sent off in the 77th minute, leaving CD Cártama with ten players for the final stretch.

Then, in the 89th minute, Claum Hatton scored the second goal of the match, capitalizing on a mistake by the home team to seal a victory that tasted especially sweet after the efforts put forth over the ninety minutes.

Beyond the result, the match also provided several reasons for satisfaction for the coaching staff. Guido Ballejos, Rubén Cáceres, Samuel Melero, and Hugo López made their debuts with the reserve team, taking a step up from the youth squad and demonstrating the importance of continuing to integrate players from the youth academy into the senior team’s dynamics.

In particular, the debut of Hugo López “Chupi” marks a new milestone for a player from a well-known family with deep historical ties to Estepona soccer. He is the brother of Raúl López, known as “Chupi,” a former goalkeeper for CD Estepona and its youth teams, and the son of Fran López Reyes, also known as “Chupi,” a former goalkeeper for Unión Estepona CF.

The coaching staff highlights the team’s collective effort and Rubén Contreras’ performance

After the match, the coaching staff particularly praised the effort put forth by their players on a challenging field, where the home team had numerous chances to change the outcome.

They highlighted the performance of Rubén Contreras, whose saves in one-on-one situations were crucial in maintaining the lead, though they wanted to place special emphasis on the team’s collective effort: their defensive work, support among teammates, and ability to stick together during the most difficult moments.

He acknowledged that the final score might seem more lopsided than the flow of the game suggested, but emphasized that the team knew how to hold on, compete, and capitalize on its opportunities. He also expressed his satisfaction with the participation of several youth players, including the two goalkeepers from the youth academy, noting how proud the entire coaching staff is to see these young players continuing to develop and compete with the reserve team.

The reserve team reaches 10 points and prepares to host CP Mijas Las Lagunas

With this victory, CD Estepona’s reserve team reaches 10 points and sits in twelfth place in the Primera Andaluza Sénior de Málaga, after eight matchdays. Their record stands at three wins, one draw, and four losses.

Their next league match will be at home against CP Mijas Las Lagunas, scheduled for November 7 or 8, although the exact date and time are still to be confirmed.

The Mijas team comes into this match after a 3-2 victory over CD Campanillas and currently sits in thirteenth place, with nine points and a record of two wins, three draws, and three losses. This is, therefore, a head-to-head matchup between two teams separated by just one point, in which the Estepona team will have a good opportunity to pull further away from the relegation zone and continue climbing the standings.

The Juvenil A Team Prepares for Its Upcoming Match Against CD Tiro Pichón

Meanwhile, the Juvenil A team took advantage of its day off to continue training and preparing for its next league match.

The Estepona team currently sits in ninth place in the Málaga Second Andalusian Youth League, with eight points after seven matchdays. Their record stands at two wins, two draws, and three losses.

The next match will take the young Estepona players to Málaga to face CD Tiro Pichón, in a game scheduled for November 7 or 8, pending official confirmation.

The opponent sits in seventh place in the standings with eleven points, the result of three wins, two draws, and two losses. This will be another challenging away game for the Juvenil A team, which will look to extend its positive momentum and continue climbing the standings.

Thus, the two main teams in CD Estepona’s youth academy face another week of competition with important goals: the reserve team, buoyed by its victory in Cártama, will look to build on its strong results against a direct rival, while the Juvenil A team will try to get back on track with another positive result.

Source: Official match reports from the Royal Andalusian Soccer Federation (RFAF) and statements and information provided by Antonio Sánchez, coordinator of CD Estepona’s reserve team and Juvenil A, whom we thank for his collaboration in sharing insights into the atmosphere and the course of both matches.

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