José Ángel Ziganda has always maintained his composure through thick and thin. But the end of the competition is drawing near and it is inevitable to look at the play-offs and make calculations about Oviedo’s chances of finally being in the top six. “It was the perfect match for how it happened and on top of that the day of the 96th anniversary. The final shot was unbeatable”, said the coach about the win against Fuenlabrada.
The 3-0 returns to shoot the blues in their race for the top six places. Calvo opened the can in the first part with a phenomenal header. After the break, the team let go. Obeng and Javi Mier scored to reflect the superiority of the Blues during the 90 minutes of play.
The fans are once again excited about the possibility that the team sneaks into the play-off zone and can finally fight in direct eliminations for promotion. A challenge that has not been enough since he returned to professional football in 2015. The pending subject of the blues.
For Ziganda, the role of the fans is going to be “very important in the remainder of the season. Surely the Tartiere will be there because he pushes, shouts and encourages. And that shows in the environment. It’s not easy to catch up with the play-off teams, but we have to be there, squeezing them and on the lookout. We have to maintain this level of tension, confidence, this rhythm and this verticality that the team has when they play at home.”
Asked after the game if his team were going to feel the pressure that grips all teams when they get close to their goal, Ziganda was clear in his answer: “We had pressure the first year, when we were fighting not to be relegated. Now we are delighted with this situation and in these nine games we have to take a small step to continue winning. I am satisfied with the mentality with which the team came out against Fuenlabrada, the seriousness, rigor and security with the ball. And I am also happy for the people who participate less because they have also contributed. We’re going to need them all.”
another ending
The Blues will now have the whole week to prepare in the best possible way for a duel that also smacks of the end. It will be next Sunday, against Cartagena at their stadium. A duel between two of the main candidates to steal Ponfe’s promotion play-off position. Ziganda will recover Hugo Rama for the appointment, who missed the duel against Fuenla due to accumulation of yellow cards, and is awaiting the evolution of Carlos Isaac, who has not been able to participate for two games due to a contracture.