Las Palmas loses its first Marbella friendly (2-1)
Luis Carrión's team showed better performance than the result indicates, against an opponent who came from behind in the second half.
UD Las Palmas lost 2-1 in their first preseason match against Como from Italy, held in Marbella. Luis Carrión's squad left a better impression than the score suggests, with the game starting with a goal by Iván Cédric, and a comeback by the Italians in the second half.
The Gran Canaria coach used almost all the players concentrated in Andalusia, except for goalkeepers Horkas and Valles.
Las Palmas scored their first goal of the summer early on, with Iván Cédric heading in a cross from Manu Fuster. The goal resulted from a quick play by the yellows, starting on the right flank and ending with a cross and header from the new striker.
The preparation match showed all its typical characteristics on the hot Marbella morning. Como had more possession time in the first period, but the yellow attacks were incisive. Pepe Reina hit the crossbar on the second major chance for Las Palmas, from a shot by Iván Gil. The experienced Spanish goalkeeper just managed to deflect the powerful shot to a corner.
This second chance came just before halftime, with a subsequent shot by Pejiño again requiring a save from the Como goalkeeper to clear the danger.
The first 45 minutes allowed Luis Carrión to assess his players' performance against an opponent with a similar focus on controlling the game through ball possession. Dutch keeper Cillessen had to intervene twice: first, on a shot from Da Cunha, and later, in a one-on-one with Cutrone. The yellow keeper calmly deflected the ball with his leg as the attacker closed in on the area.
Cesc Fàbregas' team turned the score around in just two minutes with goals from Cutrone and Strefezza at the start of the second half.
The final stage of the friendly saw a change in the script, despite numerous substitutions by both teams. Las Palmas pushed forward after the equalizer, creating several chances that Como's goalkeeper Vigorito and defenders managed to clear.
Line-ups:
Como 1907:Reina, Goldaniga, Sala, Iovine, Strefezza, Cutrone, Belotti, Rellemo, Braunoder, Da Cunha, Barba.
Substitutes:Vigorito, Ghidotti, Dossena, Curto, Baselli, Gabrielloni, Kovacik, Gioacchini, Odenthal, Abildgaard, Ioannou, Verdi.
Las Palmas:Cillessen, Marvin Park, Juanma Herzog, Mika Mármol, Alex Muñoz, Mfulu, Campaña, Manu Fuster, Moleiro, Ale García, Iván Cédric
Substitutes: Sinkgraven, Valentín Pezzolessi, Sory Kaba, Pejiño, Iván Gil, Javi Muñoz, Fabio. Sandro, Enrique Clemente, Álex Suárez (entered at 46'). Kirian, Benito, Abou Bassinga, Marc Cardona, Jaime Mata, Viti Rozada, Loiodice (entered at 60').
1-0, min. 4: Iván Cédric. 1-1, min. 48: Cutrone. 2-1, min. 50: Strefezza.
Match played at Marbella Football Center.
