The delirium has taken over the streets of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with the long-awaited return five years later to the First of the Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, which accompanies in the ascent as second classified to Granada CF. The team led by Xavier García Pimienta will play its 35th season in the main category next year after drawing to zero with Deportivo Alavés, a faithful reflection of the nervous and irregular end of the season of the local team. Deportivo Alavés has not managed to complete its final sprint – both in the year and in the match itself – and will have to play the semifinal of the final promotion playoff against Éibar. The other semifinal will be completed by Levante and Albacete.
The match played at the Estadio de Gran Canaria was the antithesis of the comfortable victory achieved by Granada CF in their feud against Leganés (2-0). It was the one played on the island a gray, irregular and locked game, of more euphoria in the stands and the surroundings than on the grass. Nerves and mistakes were the predominant tone for most of the match: static, with little depth in both teams. The home team had more control of the ball throughout the match, especially in the first half, in which there were only three chances to score.
The resumption gave a point of intrigue to the game. The ball remained under control of Xavier García Pimienta's box, yes. But it was an inert domain. It was Alavés, in fact, that found itself with more tricks. Álvaro Valles, the Andalusian goalkeeper of the UD, was agitated in the 62 when he beat in a hand to hand to Asier Villalibre when he stood alone. It was followed by three consecutive occasions of the Vitorianos, which led to inaccuracies and nerves on the Canarian playing field. The ghost of the match against Córdoba in 2014 returned to the pitch and the stands, an almost made ascent that UD lost in the 93rd minute with field invasion included.
GRAFCAN1281. LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA (SPAIN), 27/05/2023.- Thousands of fans have received UD Las Palmas outside the Gran Canaria stadium, where they face Deportivo Alavés this Saturday, with direct promotion to the First Division at stake. EFE/Quique CurbeloQuique Curbelo (EFE)
Alavés, thus, took a step forward in the contest in the last minutes, harassing the local area with continuous pumping into the area, with more intention than result and a tireless Rioja on the left wing. UD defended in the best way it knows, trying to keep the ball, at its feet, with hardly any aspirations of reaching the area. The agony in the stands lasted until the 96th minute. The final whistle brought euphoria. 17 draw of the yellows, some tables that are worth the pass to First.
He has played UD Las Palmas two seasons in one. Until the winter break, the team showed a scoring solvency, especially at home. With the turn of the year, however, doubts began. Viera's physical condition, defensive doubts and inability to close games they had won became common currency. The criticism intensified in the environment, and the local press even came to shuffle the dismissal of García Pimienta, who is accused of not being able to vary the game script. On the positive side, the figure of former Barcelona player Sandro Ramírez emerged, with seven crucial goals that allowed the yellow box to reach the final day in second position despite the continuous setbacks
"This promotion is much more special than the first," said local captain Johnatan Viera. "Here the one who does not try fails," he said. "We all deserved it," said Kirian Rodriguez, a player who this year has managed to beat Hodgkin's lymphoma and has completed the promotion of his team. " We had an idea and we were going to go to death until the end, "said coach García Pimienta at the end of the game. "This team only knows how to play one way, and we've done it. It's been worth the wait."
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