Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto run out of fuel for another giant-killing act

Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto lost 25-28 to Naturhouse La Rioja

Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto were defeated by Naturhouse in a match in which they were tactically and technically superior to their opponents, but the depth of a Champions League team was enough to overcome a side not built to play on Sundays and Wednesdays. They also had an extra day, while one of the rojiblancos’ mainstays in the opening part of the season, Alfredo Sorrentino, did not recover in time after injuring his shin.

The match had a clear owner during the first half, and it was not the expected one, as the Valencian team maintained its spectacular defensive figures. It is not easy to hold the Riojans to eight goals in 25 minutes—10-8—and only five lethal minutes, when the fatigue caused by the Valencians’ limited rotation began to show. Inestrosa’s playmaking and his connection with Pozzer accounted for no less than 50% of Fertiberia’s goals: four for the man from Ciudad Real and ten for the Brazilian. At Naturhouse, Jota rotated all his players in the first half without much success.

Signs of Fertiberia’s exhaustion continued even during the opening phase of the second half, but Valencian spirit, defence and reliability maintained parity until the 45th minute. In the final quarter of an hour, with Pozzer exhausted, Inestrosa more tightly marked and Kapellin’s contribution improving on Aguinagalde’s performance, Natur were able to run the ball efficiently. The Riojan wingers are lethal in such situations, with only Langaro showing his face in a Riojan back line that produced a very poor display.

Thus, Natur established the biggest gap, which was only four goals, before finishing with a three-goal advantage. It was certainly a shame not to be rewarded, but the huge differences in budget and squad leave one side as the moral winner and the other taking the points home.

The fans understood the rojiblancos’ effort and rewarded the home side with a thunderous ovation, almost as deafening as the reception given to the officials, when an entire stand greeted the referees with black cards after the run of adverse decisions. Fernández and García did not decisively influence the score, but nor did they redeem the refereeing establishment, with decisions consistently going against the home team. When the locals tried to expend their last reserves in a final comeback, they encountered a lenient application of the passive-play rule in Natur’s attack, which harmed the exhausted Valencian side by forcing it to defend for long periods.

The next match—this one genuinely belonging to Fertiberia’s league—will again be at the Ovni, against Puente Genil next Saturday, 15th, at 18:30. Fertiberia have had to wait four home matches to play on a Saturday in front of their fans.

Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto: Bruixola, Ibrahim and Chueca, Rubén (1), Inestrosa (4), Pocholo (1), Tarraso (1), Spiljak (4), Pozzer (10), Alegre (1), Ángel, Linares (2), Pacheco (1) and Sario.

Naturhouse La Rioja: Aguinagalde and Kapellin. Sanchez (2), Peciña (1), Montoro, Cacheda, Luisfe (5), Vigo (1), Garabaya, Molina (1), Langaro (5), Javi Muñoz (4), Angel Fernandez (6), Garciiandia (2) and Sanad (1)

Officials: Fernández and Garcia. For Fertiberia, Spiljak, Pozzer and Ángel were suspended. For Naturhouse, Montoro was suspended.

Score every 5 minutes:1-2, 4-3, 7-5, 7-7, 10-8, 13-12. Half-time. 15-16, 18-19, 20-22, 21-25, 22-25, 25-28. Full-time

Internucleos Pavilion, 1,200 spectators.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.