UD Ibiza dropped two points on their debut at the new Can Misses stadium after losing a two-goal lead to Málaga in the second half (2-2). A goal from Malaga’s Roberto three minutes from time spoiled the party for Juan Carlos Carcedo’s team, which led 2-0 after 60 minutes thanks to two great goals from Polish player Bogusz. First, Luis Muñoz took advantage of a defensive blunder by the local side, then Roberto wiped out the Celestes’ lead right at the end, spoiling Ibiza’s young Polish playmaker’s 20th birthday celebrations in the process. The first professional football match hosted by the island was enthusiastically enjoyed by the 2,487 Celeste fans at Can Misses, with high levels of excitement right up to the final whistle. The intense heat also played an integral role in the island team’s debut in front of their fans.
Carcedo only made one change to the team that lined up in the opening match at La Romareda, replacing Ekain with the the talented Javi Lara. With Cifu again joining Fran Grima on the right wing, most of the team’s attacking players, including newcomers Guerrero and Herrera as well as Davo and Miki Villar, started the match on the bench.
Not five seconds had gone by when centre-back Rubén González earned picked up the first card for swinging his arm in an aerial challenge. It was a bad start for a team now weakened in central defence. However, Carcedo’s team opened the clash with flair and dominated the pitch leading to the first chance after 9 minutes, with a low, deflected shot from Javi Lara after picking up a good ball from the edge of the area by Castel. The match, however, was proving to be a tightly contested affair.
Germán saved the Celestes after 15 minutes when he made a spectacular save from Kevin’s shot from close range, making the most of a mistake by Ibiza on the left hand side. But the newcomer responded with daring and quality play. Three unsuccessful crosses into the box from Cifu were followed by another ball to the far post that got past the last defender and found Bogusz, who volleyed the ball past Dani Barrio to make it 1-0 (following a VAR review) after 19 minutes of play. UD Ibiza’s first goal in the Professional Football League, ecstasy in the new Can Misses stands and a fantastic birthday present for the Polish playmaker, who turned 20 yesterday.
More aggressive and ambitious in all challenges, tactically co-ordinated and with precise passing, the Ibiza squad continued to control the game with style against a mediocre Malaga. Cifu and Grima had found a way down the right flank, a space they exploited thanks to the dominance of Molina, Perez and Bogusz in midfield. Javi Lara, athough not as lively as his teammates, was also out for his share of the limelight with a very dangerous free kick from the edge of the area that was blocked by the wall. In the closing stages of the first half Málaga had a chance with a powerful header from Kevin that was blocked in time by Germán. With two isolated moves the Malaga side could have spoiled a great first half by the Celestes in Can Misses.
Second half
Jose Alberto’s tried to make a breakthrough after half-time, but faced stiff opposition from a disciplined Ibiza side, which also had the first two promising chances. The substitution of Ekain for Lara reinforced the Ibizan midfield shortly before another masterstroke from Bogusz. The playmaker picked up the ball on left wing, cut back to the right at the edge of the area and brilliantly slotted the ball into the far corner (min. 60). The fans have a new hero.
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