Almería B produced a controlled and professional display on Sunday 13 September 2026, beating CD Alhaurino 2-0 in the Spanish Tercera División RFEF to record a clean sheet and a comfortable home victory.

The match started at 18:00 local time and, from relatively early on, the pattern was set: the reserve side of UD Almería dominated the ball, moved it quickly through midfield and limited their visitors to scraps on the counter-attack. Two goals either side of the interval settled a fixture that the hosts never really looked like losing.

Match overview

Almería B began the game with the confidence of a team comfortable in possession. Their midfielders rotated intelligently, the full-backs pushed high to create overloads in wide areas, and the front line pressed aggressively to pin CD Alhaurino inside their own half. The opening goal came from exactly that kind of pressure, a turnover high up the pitch converted with a calm finish inside the penalty area.

The visitors' response was to sit deeper and defend the space behind their midfield, hoping to spring counter-attacks through their quickest forwards. It was a sensible plan and it kept the scoreline respectable until the break, but it also meant Alhaurino spent long periods chasing the ball without it.

After half-time, Almería B doubled their advantage with a goal that showcased the technical quality running through the squad — a slick combination on the edge of the box, finished first time. From that point on the game was effectively decided. The hosts managed the closing half-hour with maturity, keeping possession, slowing the tempo when required and protecting their goalkeeper with a disciplined defensive shape.

Key moments

• First goal: A high press forced a turnover and a composed finish gave Almería B an early lead.
• Alhaurino's best chance: A quick counter-attack in the first half produced the visitors' clearest opening, but the effort was dealt with.
• Second goal: A fluent passing combination around the penalty area produced a decisive second shortly after the restart.
• Game management: Almería B controlled possession for long stretches of the second half, denying Alhaurino any route back into the match.
• Clean sheet secured: A well-organised back line ensured the home side finished the afternoon without conceding.

Tactical story

The story of this match was territorial dominance. Almería B's structure allowed them to keep the ball in the opposition half for extended periods, and the key to that was the positioning of their midfield. With one player dropping to receive from the centre-backs and two others occupying the half-spaces, the hosts always had passing options and were rarely forced into long, hopeful balls forward.

CD Alhaurino defended in a compact mid-block and, to their credit, they were difficult to break down for long stretches. Their problem was transitioning from defence to attack. Every time they won the ball back, they were isolated up front, and Almería B's centre-backs were quick to snuff out any direct balls over the top.

The introduction of fresh legs in the second half allowed Almería B to maintain their intensity without the tempo dropping, which is often the difference between a one-goal win and a comfortable one at this level. It was a mature, well-coached performance from a young side.

Standout performers

Almería B's attacking midfielders were the standout performers, combining clever movement with an ability to play the final pass at the right moment. The two goalscorers took their chances well, but the team's creative hub deserved just as much credit for the way the attacking play was knitted together.

Defensively, the centre-back pairing was authoritative. Between them they won the vast majority of aerial duels, read the danger early and kept the back line organised even as the game became stretched in the final stages. The goalkeeper, meanwhile, was alert on the few occasions he was called upon, notably to deny Alhaurino during their best spell of the first half.

What it means in the Tercera División RFEF table

A home win with a clean sheet is the ideal result in Group 9 of the Tercera División RFEF, and it keeps Almería B moving in the right direction in the early weeks of the 2026-27 season. Reserve teams in this division are judged partly on results and partly on development, and this performance delivered strongly on both counts.

For CD Alhaurino, it is a frustrating afternoon but not a disastrous one. The Andalusian side defended with discipline for long periods and will take encouragement from spells in which they frustrated a technically superior opponent. Turning that defensive solidity into goals on the roa