Barça Atlètic 1-0 UD Logroñés: Into the play-offs!
Through to the play-offs for promotion to the Second Division. Barça Atlètic beat Unión Deportiva Logroñés 1-0 in a tough match despite already the side from La Rioja already being relegated. Aleix Garrido scored the second half goal and now Barça will face Real Madrid Castilla in the play-off semifinals.
Cautious first half
Despite only needing a point, this game could have been much easier had Txus Alba and Luismi Cruz managed to make the most of an early error by the Logroñés keeper. At the other end, Arnau Tenas flew to turn a Menudo long shot wide for a corner.
UD Logroñés were already down and were playing with a lot of freedom, but Rafa Márquez appeared to adopt a cautious approach, with one eye on the Murcia fixture as they were potential rivals for a play-off spot.
Aleix Garrido scores valuable first goal
The Catalans came out strongly in the second half, however, dominating possession, Txus Alba had a chance, before visiting keeper Daza was called into action. Then Aleix Garrido came off the bench to score his first goal for the side, after a great pass by Moha, to send the Estadi Johan Cruyff crowd into raptures.
Barça saw the rest of the game out to win 1-0 and ensure qualification for the play-off semifinals as one of eight teams with a chance of promotion to the Second Division.
The first obstacle are no less than Real Madrid Castilla, a mini-Clásico so to speak, with the first leg at the Estadi Johan Cruyff next weekend and the return leg at Valdebebas the weekend after. The potential opponents in the final will come from the tie between Eldense and Celta B.
Game stats
Barça Atlètic: 1
UD Logroñés: 0
Barça Atlètic: Arnau Tenas; Núñez, Carbonell, Chadi Riad, Dionkou (Rosanas 88'); Casadó, Moha (Aranda 82'), Txus Alba (Aleix Garrido 69'); Luismi (Fabio Blanco 88'), Roberto and Estanis (Pocho 88').
UD Logroñés: Daza; Sergio López (Andoni 79'), Lozano, Codina, Vergés; Carlos Ramos, Algarra (Keita 79'); Doncel (Boniquet 62'), Menudo (Dani Pichín 72'), Iñaki and Claudio Mendes (Schutte 62').
Goals: 1-0, Aleix Garrido (min. 71)
Referee: Ramo Andrés. Yellow cards for Roberto from Barça Atlètic, and Iñaki and Sergio López from UD Logroñés.
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