Minnows in Copa upset
Print Edition
Players from third division sides Formentera and Lleida Esportiu hailed their shock wins over Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad as the best moments of their careers after dumping the two giants of the Spanish game out of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Formentera, which entered the competition for the first time three years ago, sneaked a 1-0 win at 23-time Copa winner Athletic with a headed goal from substitute Alvaro Muniz in the 95th minute.
The goal came from a last ditch corner which goalkeeper Marcos Contreras raced up the pitch to contest.
The Segunda Division B outfit, from an island with a population of 12,000, was heading out of the competition on away goals after a 1-1 draw at its stadium in the first leg but Muniz’s goal put it in the last 16 for the first time. “This is the best day of my career, you cannot understand the happiness I’m feeling right now,” said Muniz.
Fellow third division outfit Lleida Esportiu also reached the last 16 for the first time after coming from 0-2 down at Real Sociedad to win 3-2 and go through on away goals.
Sociedad is one of only nine teams to have won La Liga and has reached the last 32 of Europa League this year.
Lleida went into the game without a win in its last six games and without scoring in its last five but was full of optimism, blaring out the Spanish pop song “Mi Gran Noche” (My Big Night) on the team bus on way to the stadium.
“We’re going to play it before every game now,” said Manu Molina, who scored the equalizer.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
