Almansa produced one of their more convincing home displays of the campaign on Sunday evening, defeating Huracán de Balazote 3-1 in Group 18 of the Spanish Tercera División RFEF. A dominant first half effectively settled the contest, and although the visitors improved considerably after the interval, the home side's control of the key moments proved decisive.

Match Overview

• Fixture: Almansa vs Huracán de Balazote
• Competition: Spanish Tercera División RFEF, Group 18
• Date & kick-off: Sunday 27 September 2026, 18:00
• Final score: Almansa 3-1 Huracán de Balazote

Almansa came into the fixture with the clear intention of imposing themselves early, pressing the Balazote back line and forcing errors in the build-up. The plan worked almost immediately. By the time the visitors had settled into any kind of rhythm, they were already chasing the game, and the shape of the afternoon was established.

Key Moments

The opening goal came inside the first 10 minutes, a product of exactly the pressure the home coach had demanded. A misplaced pass under duress was intercepted in the final third, and Rubén Córcoles slid the ball across the face of goal for Sergio Villena to convert from six yards. The second followed midway through the half, this time from a set piece: a deep corner was headed back across goal and Javi Moya bundled it over the line from close range.

Balazote's best spell came just before the break, and it produced a lifeline. A quick switch of play freed space on the right, and the resulting cross was met with a firm header that halved the deficit at 2-1 — a goal that changed the tone of the half-time team talks on both benches.

Any genuine hope of a comeback was extinguished 12 minutes into the second half. Almansa won the ball in midfield, worked it wide and delivered early, and Villena grabbed his second of the evening with a first-time finish to restore the two-goal cushion. From that point on, the hosts managed the game expertly, slowing the tempo, keeping possession in wide areas and denying Balazote the quick transitions they thrive on.

Tactical Story

Almansa's midfield three were the story of the match. Their positioning allowed the full-backs to advance without leaving the centre exposed, and their collective work rate repeatedly turned Balazote's attempts to play out from the back into rushed, low-percentage balls forward. Winning the ball in the middle third, rather than deep in their own half, meant every turnover carried immediate threat.

Balazote improved noticeably after the interval, pushing an extra body into midfield and finding more joy between the lines. But they lacked a reliable final pass, and their aerial threat from crosses was neutralised by a home defence that defended its box with discipline and physicality.

Standout Players

Villena's brace was the headline contribution, and his movement across the defensive line created space for others all evening. Córcoles was influential in linking midfield and attack, while Moya's willingness to attack set pieces gave Almansa an extra dimension. For Balazote, the winger who supplied the assist for their goal was the visitors' most consistent outlet.

What It Means

Three goals and three points at home is exactly the platform a Tercera side needs to build a season on, and the manner of the win — early control, no late panic — will please the coaching staff as much as the scoreline. Balazote leave with a familiar frustration: spells of decent football that are undone by the small errors that decide matches at this level. They will need to convert possession into clear chances more consistently if they are to climb away from the bottom third of Group 18.