Raúl Jerez is key with two saves eliminating Segunda’s tough Alzira and keeping Duda’s men three games clear of the title
Futsal from Cartagena is just three games away from winning its first title in its history. Last night, Jimbee Cartagena qualified for the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey in a demanding draw against Alzira. The tough Segunda team tightened the screws on Duda’s men until the painful penalty shootout was enforced, following the 2-2 draw in regular time. Javivi scored the most important maximum penalty and earlier Raúl Jerez provided under the crossbar with two saves in the shootout.
The people from Cartagena are officially in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey. This one-match round will be played on February 21 or 22, with a rival and setting to be decided when all qualifiers are decided this Wednesday. Jimbee again reached the quarterfinals, a round it has never surpassed. Last season, Duda’s men fell viciously on penalties against Jaén, in a special event marked by the return to the mythical ‘Bombonera’.
The goal is now to be in the final four in Antequera on April 1 and 2, something that would be a milestone for futsal in Cartagena. Right now, Jimbee is in the quarterfinals thanks to last night’s hard pass. Some 900 spectators were waiting in the noisy Palacio de los Deportes de Alzira and a motivated rival, who was able to capitalize on his chances, took the lead on the scoreboard and stretched the night to penalties.
Everything seemed turned upside down when Jesús Izquierdo put the Meloneros ahead in the 6th minute by touching a shot from Motta; Alzira, on the other hand, came on and turned the score around with goals from Castejón and Carlitos, on 15 and 16. A shot from Mellado made it 2-2 before the break. Nothing relevant happened in the second half.
Alzira defended himself tooth and nail in extra time. Luçao and Mellado managed to give Duda’s team victory with their shots on the post of the goal defended by Porky. In the penalty shootout, Jimbee was very accurate and scored his four maximum penalties. There the figure of captain Raúl Jerez appeared, ready to stop two shots from Alzira (2-4).
Jimbee ended a poor run of results by pairing it with its third successive success in just seven days: the President’s Cup against ElPozo (3-1), the win against Xota in the League (4-2) and the Alzira pass last night in the Copa del Rey. The derby on February 10 against ElPozo, in the Spanish Cup in Granada, is marked in red. That appointment starts at 5:45 p.m. Tickets vary between 10 and 23.50 euros and will have to be bought on the website ‘tickets.rfef.es’.
Jimbee Cartagena yesterday formalized the signing of pivot Pablo Ramírez until 2026, when the melon club made the payment of the clause to Antequera. The absolute international of Spain will make his debut against his former team next Sunday in the match (Palacio de Deportes, 12.30 pm). The Andalusian will be presented this Wednesday at 11.30 am. At 21 years old, the Malaga man was key in Antequera’s promotion to the First Division last season; and in the Copa del Rey title. This course he has seven goals and has received the call from the Spanish team. Until his youth, Ramírez played central football.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
