It is true that Real Zaragoza began the competition with a defeat. They lost 2-0 to Nástic de Tarragona on a day when the Aragonese side wasted too many chances and paid dearly for it. It did, however, buy them time to establish their style of play.
The Blanquillos narrowly avoided dropping points against Antequera on the second matchday of the championship. A goal in the 90th minute gave victory to a poor Real Zaragoza side that could easily have gone into the break behind. But their center-backs, Diego González and Rubo, held firm at the back to preserve the 0-0, before the team scored the chance it created late in the game. Espiau made it 1-0, the final score.
Real Zaragoza beat Torremolinos to move into the top half of the table. Photo: Juventud de Torremolinos
The match against Juventud de Torremolinos was also different. This Sunday, Real Zaragoza took three points from a crazy game that was also poor for long stretches. But its finishing proved decisive in a 3-4 victory. You have to win matches like this too, especially in a non-professional football division.
NUMBERS
Six points from nine in total. Two per game. That projects to 76 points. With that total, Real Zaragoza would return to the Segunda División by the fastest route. It is the same number of points Tenerife accumulated last season. Eldense, with 69, also earned promotion as the division’s top-ranked team.
So the Blanquillo side is on the right track, and now the challenge is not to lose its way. It must continue along this path, which would mean securing two more wins in the next three matches. That is how you earn promotion to the Segunda División.
THE SCHEDULE
Real Zaragoza’s next fixture is this Sunday at Ibercaja Estadio against Cartagena at 8:30 p.m. The Murcian side has a very similar record, with five points to its name. However, it has not managed two wins in every three matches.
After that comes a trip to Ibiza, which has now also reached six points, followed by the Aragonese derby against Teruel. Real Zaragoza has a second run of matches here in which to maintain its winning path. That is how the team achieves its goal of becoming group champions.
