UD Las Palmas celebrated a great home victory this Sunday (1-0) against a rival that was unbeaten and aspired to take the lead in the standings. It was the night of Kirian Rodríguez's return to the league, in an intense match where Dinko Horkas played a notable role. The winning goal by Sergio Barcia came in the final stretch, following a corner play.
García Fernández adjusted his tactical setup to present a starting eleven this Sunday featuring three central defenders (Alex Suárez, Barcia, and Enrique Clemente), flanked by two attacking full-backs (Marvin Park and Viti Rozada). Las Palmas faced an opponent that was patient and well-organized, with compact lines designed to block paths to Aznar's goal.
Both teams were aware that the match could hinge on avoiding major mistakes. Although the battles were constant, the first moment of danger came from a set piece, with a header by Loiodice following a corner kick. By the 20th minute, Las Palmas' 70% possession illustrated their control of the game.
Las Palmas' second warning also came from another lofted ball into the area, which Ale García managed to head just wide of the base of a post.
Horkas did not feel any significant threat in his vicinity during the first half, as the game was concentrated on the other side of the pitch. However, the subsequent attempts by UD Las Palmas did not achieve the desired outcome.
Las Palmas returned to their usual tactical setup at the start of the second half, a period marked by controversy. In the 48th minute, the referee awarded a penalty in Cádiz's area (due to the ball making contact with Suso's arm), but the VAR room prompted a review of the play, leading to the penalty being overturned.
García Fernández looked to his bench for ideas in the final stretch of the match. Viera and Recoba were the first to come on together. The Uruguayan came close to scoring in the 67th minute, heading the ball near the post after a lofted delivery into the area.
Cádiz then created moments of danger with two plays: 4 minutes later, Horkas had to intervene for the first time in the match, saving a mid-height shot by Sergio Ortuño, who had completed a counterattack by the visitors. Later, García Pascual delivered another header, which Horkas successfully parried.
The most anticipated moment of the night was about to happen, as Kirian Rodríguez returned to La Liga in the 76th minute to a standing ovation from the 18,413 spectators at the Gran Canaria stadium.
Las Palmas finally broke through their opponent's defense with a set-piece play executed by Jonathan Viera and finished with a header by Sergio Barcia. The 1-0 scoreline sparked great joy among the yellow-clad players, who focused on protecting their lead until the end. They succeeded with another save by Horkas, stopping a shot by Suso in the 96th minute.