By SCM Sports Desk
Real Oviedo 1 – 2 Elche CF
Carlos Tartiere Stadium
GONZALO VILLAR produced a midfield masterclass at the Carlos Tartiere as Elche silenced the Real Oviedo faithful with a clinical 2-1 victory.
In a clash where the stars were expected to shine, it was Elche’s engine room that truly dazzled. While Oviedo welcomed back midfield enforcer Nicolás Fonseca from suspension, they were caught cold in a blistering opening twenty minutes that effectively decided the contest.
The visitors didn’t wait for an invitation to attack. Just six minutes in, veteran defender Pedro Bigas rose highest to meet a precision delivery, silencing the home crowd.
Before Oviedo could find their feet, Gonzalo Villar doubled the advantage in the 16th minute, finishing off a move orchestrated by the ever-dangerous Álvaro Rodríguez.
Villar, the former Getafe man, was the undisputed protagonist of the afternoon.
He dictated the tempo, leaving Oviedo’s veteran legend Santi Cazorla—who was introduced later to spark a comeback—chasing shadows for much of his cameo.
The hosts, led by the industrious Ilyas Chaira, refused to go down without a fight. Chaira was a constant menace on the flank, eventually getting his reward in the 76th minute with a strike that set up a grandstand finish.
Oviedo threw everything forward, including Uruguayan talisman Federico Viñas, but Elche’s backline, marshaled by David Affengruber, held firm. Even a late red card for Elche’s Germán Valera in stoppage time couldn’t derail the visitors’ resolve.
THE VERDICT:
A tale of two halves, but Elche’s early efficiency proved the difference. For Oviedo, it’s a missed opportunity to climb the table; for Elche, it’s a statement win built on the brilliance of Villar.
Who do you think was the biggest disappointment for Oviedo in that opening 20-minute collapse?
