UD Ibiza bounced back to life yesterday with a colossal 2-0 win over the leaders SD Eibar, a victory which put the five previous games without a win behind them and virtually sealed their place in second division. The Can Misses stadium was once again treated to good football, goals and spectacle from an Ibiza side who rediscovered their identity and, what’s more, kept a clean sheet after 10 games without a win. Two goals in the second half from Ekain and Herrera sealed the win over Eibar, who were unable to react to the home side’s impetus.
The Ibizan side came out boldly to take on the leaders, pressing high and playing good football in the opening stages of the game. However, Eibar, in a tight defensive formation, looked dangerous in every transition and Stoichkov created the first chance with a great pass from the left that Germán dealt with.
Paco Jémez had freshened up the starting eleven with a number of changes after the disaster at Lezama. Goldar, absent last week due to his trial at Almería, and Juan Ibiza returned to the centre of defence; Cifu came in for the suspended Grima at full-back; Raúl Sánchez occupied the left-sided attacking role and up front Ekain started for the first time under Paco Jémez.
The strictness of the referee and the pressure of both teams in the width of the pitch reduced the fluidity of the game, but not the spectacle.
In the 21st minute, Can Misses erupted when Herrera beat Cantero with a low drive after beating the defence, only for the action to be disallowed for offside as confirmed by the VAR. Eibar responded with a flurry of chances just before the half-hour mark, with Javi Muñoz finishing a counter-attack with a powerful but deflected effort, Fran Sol’s header being tipped behind for a corner by Juan Ibiza on the goal line and a scramble in the six-yard box which the visitors’ defence were miraculously denied.
UD Ibiza, who did not let the leaders intimidate them, went on the attack again and gave the video referee’s some work, after a goal by David Goldar was disallowed for hands by the centre-back in a challenge on the visiting goalkeeper (min. 31).
Herrera then tried his luck with a free kick that forced a save from Cantero, and from another set piece Juan Ibiza came close to scoring with two free kicks inside the area. The first half was consumed by protests from the crowd at a referee who was too lenient towards the first team and attempts from Ibiza, who were already close to scoring before the break.
Cristian Herrera showed his enormous talent with a great assist from Ekainy, a spectacular
UD Ibiza goals after the break
Jémez’s men continued their good form and Ekain made it 1-0 after finishing off a pass from Herrera, who found a highway into his own lane after taking the ball from his marker (48 mins). The islanders were eating away at the leaders, who were unable to put two moves together in quick succession.
Even so, Blanco Leschuk tried, with a delicate shot that went just wide of the post, and Toño, with a left-footed cross-shot. But it was Cristian Herrera who brought the attacking talent with a stunning goal after dribbling several defenders on the edge of the area and scoring low past Cantero after a fantastic triangulation with Raúl Sánchez in the space of an inch of space (min. 61). 2-0 and delirium in Can Misses.
Another brilliant move by Herrera and a personal move by Davo, which could have made it 3-0, added to the intensity of the UD Ibiza team until the end and rounded off a performance that gave the Pitiusos hope with seven games to go.
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