A strong Ciudad de Lucena side held Estepona to a draw at the Muñoz Pérez stadium, snatching two points at the death (2-2).

CD Estepona failed to secure all three points at the Francisco Muñoz Pérez stadium, drawing 2-2 against Ciudad de Lucena, who twice equalized. It was an open match, with chances for both sides and a lively atmosphere in the stands (1,839 spectators), resulting in a point aptly reflected on the pitch.

The match began intensely, with two early yellow cards, one for each side (Héber Pena and Valenzuela). Héber had the first chance for the home team with a powerful shot that went just over the crossbar. Shortly after, he had to be substituted amidst tears and cheers from the crowd, visibly affected by an injury whose extent is still unknown. Ale Contreras replaced him in the 19th minute.

The goal came quickly. In the 20th minute, Candelas received a ball outside the box and unleashed an unstoppable volley past Hugo Caballero to put Estepona ahead. The home side enjoyed their best spell of the game and could have extended their lead, first with a header from Pablo Aguilar off a Ballarín cross that grazed the post, although the play was ruled offside, and then with a shot from the inside of Ballarín that crashed against the crossbar. Lucena responded with a shot from Joseliyo that Héctor Oliva saved and a shot from Hugo Fuentes that the home goalkeeper gathered at the second attempt. Before halftime, Arriaza also had a chance to make it 2-0, but Caballero prevented the second goal.

The second half began with Lucena pressing forward. After a shot from Manolo Ortiz and a strike off the crossbar by Diego Canty, the Cordoba side equalized in the 60th minute with a header from Rafa Gálvez off a cross from Migue Sánchez. Estepona's response was immediate: in the 65th minute, Julen Jon Guerrero pounced on a rebound inside the area after a dangerous cross from Candelas on the left, beating Caballero with a shot that nestled inside the post to restore his team's lead.

With the game wide open, Estepona had a chance to seal the victory on a counter-attack involving three forwards against the goalkeeper. Arriaza set up Bakary, who put the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside . Lucena, after making substitutions, pushed forward again, and Juanma Porro's header struck the post in the 80th minute. Héctor Oliva prevented an equalizer in another attack, but in the final stages, after a corner kick with several rebounds, Diego Vargas volleyed home a loose ball inside the area following numerous corner kicks by the visitors, making it 2-2 .

With this point, Estepona reaches 12 points and remains in the upper part of the Group 4 classification of the Second Federation.

Technical specifications

CD Estepona (2): Héctor Oliva; Maxi Benítez (Marín, 66'), Caro, Cristian Yuste, Candelas; Ballarín (Bakary, 66'), Julen Jon Guerrero, Arriaza, Samu Expósito (Sandji Baradji, 55'); Héber Pena (Ale Contreras, 19') and Pablo Aguilar (Ariel Herrero, 55').

Ciudad de Lucena (2): Hugo Caballero; Ale Benítez, Valenzuela (Pavón, 66'), Rafa Gálvez, Manolo Ortiz (Isra Cano, 73'); Alberto García (Juanma Porro, 23'), Migue Sánchez (Sergio García, 73'); Manu Molina, Hugo Fuentes, Joseliyo; and Diego Canty (Diego Vargas, 66').

Goals: 1-0 (20') Candelas. 1-1 (60') Rafa Gálvez. 2-1 (65') Julen Jon Guerrero. 2-2 (88') Diego Vargas.

Referee: Noguera Montero (Andalusian committee).

Cards: Yellow for Héber Pena and coach Manolo Sánchez (Estepona); and for Valenzuela, Hugo Fuentes, Diego Canty, Joseliyo, Rafa Gálvez and Pavón (Lucena).

Incidents: Eighth day of Group 4 of the Second Federation, played at the Francisco Muñoz Pérez in Estepona before 1839 spectators on a pleasant afternoon-evening.