Sporting Gijón Held to Draw by Struggling Tenerife

Real Sporting de Gijón missed the chance to secure a win against a struggling CD Tenerife, settling for a 1-1 draw.

Tenerife, the league’s bottom team, managed to equalize late in the match, despite coming into the game amidst internal turmoil, including fan protests against the club’s owners and a change of head coach earlier in the week. Sporting, under the management of Rubén Albés, couldn’t maintain their first-half lead, leaving another potential victory slipping away.

Albés made significant changes to Sporting’s starting lineup from their previous match against Racing Santander, partly due to injuries and tactical decisions. José Ángel ‘Cote’ and Gaspar Campos were unavailable, replaced by Pablo García and Dani Queipo. There were further changes with Juan Otero sidelined by injury, allowing Jordy Caicedo to make his debut as a starter. César Gelabert also made his first start, filling in for Nacho Méndez, who dropped deeper into midfield. Meanwhile, Lander Olaetxea’s shift to a defensive role gave Róber Pier his first start of the season at centre-back.

The opening 45 minutes saw Sporting slowly take control, despite struggling with precision and a few defensive lapses. Tenerife, playing their first game under new coach Pepe Mel, were disorganized, allowing Sporting to find spaces in attack. However, Sporting’s chances were limited in a quiet first half.

Sporting’s best opportunity came from a well-worked team move. After Guille Rosas delivered a cross from the right, Dani Queipo won an aerial duel and fired a powerful shot on target, but Tenerife’s goalkeeper Salvi made a sharp save to keep it out. Both sides struggled to create clear chances, and the half seemed to be heading towards a goalless conclusion.

However, a well-executed set piece gave Sporting the breakthrough. From a corner, the ball was played short, with Nacho Méndez finding space on the edge of the box. His cross to the far post was met by Dubasin, who flicked it on, and Róber Pier, unmarked, struck a precise shot with his left foot into the bottom corner. It was Pier’s first goal for the club, giving Sporting a 1-0 lead just before halftime.

Tenerife responded after the break, with manager Pepe Mel making a triple substitution to shake things up. The second half saw Tenerife enjoy more possession, while Sporting sat deeper, looking to defend their lead and strike on the counter. Sporting created chances in transition, notably when Dubasin broke into the box, only for Tenerife’s Mellot to intervene with a crucial tackle.

Despite Tenerife’s possession, Sporting remained the more dangerous side. Guille Rosas nearly doubled their lead, but failed to beat Salvi in a one-on-one situation. Substitute Campuzano also came close, but his shot narrowly missed the target.

As the game wore on, Sporting’s missed chances began to prove costly. Tenerife eventually found their equalizer from a set piece. A corner to the far post found Diarra, who headed the ball past goalkeeper Yáñez to level the score. In the closing moments, Tenerife even had a chance to snatch a winner, but neither side could find another breakthrough.

In the end, the match finished 1-1, leaving Sporting frustrated after a game that they largely controlled but failed to put to bed. For Tenerife, the draw offered a glimmer of hope in an otherwise difficult season as the league’s bottom side, while Sporting will see it as a missed opportunity to claim all three points.