The Second Division will have to continue waiting for Real Madrid Castilla. The white subsidiary, which achieved its last promotion in 2012, has again been left at the gates of the silver category of Spanish football after drawing in Elda, home of Eldense, pushed by the RFEF regulation that allows promotion at the end of extra time, without penalties, to the best ranked team in the regular season. The Alicante team returns to Segunda after 60 years after a last five years full of successes. Since the arrival at the property of Pascual Pérez, owner of the Finetwork company, sponsor among others of the Federation itself, the Elda team has achieved three consecutive promotions. The situation condemns Raúl's Castilla, who has lost two Playoffs in his four seasons at the helm of the Madrid subsidiary and is left without closing the circle with the players he made champions of the Youth Champions League in 2020.
Castilla started like a cyclone. Courageous and with a maturity inappropriate for a squad full of almost adolescent footballers, Raúl's men planted themselves in Elda to play their best first part of the season. Sergio Arribas, scorer with the first team in the last Club World Cup and main star of the subsidiary throughout the season (20 goals) led the initial avalanche. Loose in the midfielder, the left-hander offered the best options to Álvaro Rodríguez and Carlos Dotor, who were not successful in breaking the 0-0 deficit.
In minute 25, with the white subsidiary launched and with Eldense somewhat blocked by anxiety and the historic opportunity, Rafa Marín headed a perfect cross from Arribas into the net to put Castilla ahead.
Raúl smiled on the bench. Madrid was better. Nine minutes later, Obrador, a knife down the left, accelerated to the end line after a perfect wall with Dotor and left a pass of death to Álvaro. The Uruguayan gave Dotor back so the captain could score 0-2. 12 goals from the midfielder this season. Another, like Arribas, whose football asks for another step in the elite.
The happy 0-2 madridista was followed by misfortune due to the injury of Obrador, who was being one of the best in the team. His mishap, which forced Raúl to retire him and bet on Vinicius Tobias, changing bands to Pablo Ramón, upset Castilla and made Eldense grow. Madrid lost depth and the locals recovered oxygen and faith.
Just before the break, in the discount of the first part, Nieto invented a sensational header to beat Luis López and excite his fans. 1-2. The classic psychological goal. After the break, Eldense continued looking for a goal that would send the game to extra time, where a draw made them a Second team for having been above Madrid in the standings.
Soberton had it in minute 50, the match got a little muddy, with discussions and controversy, and in minute 67 Carlos Hernández found the 2-2 prize after a good wall from Bernal. Castilla, weak after the break and too weak in defense, paid dearly for the step back. It was always better the braver he showed himself.
The locals, who had only lost one game at home all season, in the Cup against Athletic, were able to score in minute 94 with a header from Nieto, but Luis López caused extra time.
In extra time Madrid, more in need, was better. The game was played in the Eldense field and Raúl's men could have made it 2-3 if it wasn't for Vallejo, who took out a good shot from Dotor with a popcorn.
Castilla turned upside down and Eldense, who knew how to play their cards in the advantage, also had theirs, saving Luis López the local attempts to counterattack. Both teams destroyed by physical effort, the match only had the quality or the individual errors of its players. Both happened.
At minute 105, Sergio Arribas combined well with Peter and entered the area, where he was brought down by an opponent. The Eldense protested a lot, understanding that the left-handed man had dropped, but the referee, the Asturian Miguel González Díaz, was clear about the trip. From 11 meters, Arribas brought Castilla closer to Segunda, but it was only for a few minutes.
At minute 113, an error by Aranda when the ball came out near the area ended in a pass through to Ortuño, who beat Luis López with a cross shot from inside the area. Madrid had one last chance with an action in which Pablo Ramón called for a penalty.. Aranda was able to surprise the goalkeeper from his own half, but the match ended 3-3, with Eldense on the rise and local delirium.