Big clubs survive scares in Copa del Rey but Alaves knocked out by fourth-tier Minera
MADRID (AP) — Top-tier Spanish clubs Atletico Madrid, Getafe and Osasuna all survived scares against lower league opposition to advance to the third round of the Copa del Rey on Thursday but Deportivo Alaves crashed out against fourth-tier Deportiva Minera.
Atletico went behind to a 30th-minute goal by Cacereno's Álvaro Merencio and looked set to exit the competition until its second-half substitutes saved the day with a 3-1 victory.
Clément Lenglet equalized in the 83rd and, after Jaime Sancho was shown a red card for fourth-tier Cacereno two minutes later, Atletico scored twice in stoppage time. Adri Pérez deflected Rodrigo De Paul’s shot into his own net, and Julián Alvarez got his team's third goal.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone was sent off in the final minute for protesting.
Osasuna went through 3-2 after an even more torrid time at Ceuta, the third-tier club that makes its home in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta.
The La Liga side was losing 2-0 after 69 minutes but progressed with three late goals — Ante Budimir after 83 minutes, Raul García three minutes later and then an own-goal from Carlos Redruello two minutes into stoppage time.
Getafe was held 0-0 at fourth-tier Orihuela but progressed after winning 3-0 on penalties with Getafe 'keeper Jiri Letacek stopping all three efforts by the home side.
Real Sociedad needed extra time to beat fourth-tier Conquense 1-0. The team from Cuenca hadn’t won any of its five previous games but held out until the second minute of extra time when Brais Méndez scored the winner.
The night’s big casualty was Alaves, which lost on penalties at lowly Minera after the game finished 2-2 after extra time.
The home side took the lead after 33 minutes only for Alaves to equalize on the hour mark and take the game into extra time.
Mali midfielder Sandji Baradji put Minera ahead in the 105th minute but two minutes later David Morante was sent off for the home side and Kike García scored his second from the spot to make it 2-2.
However, Minera goalkeeper Fran Martínez saved twice from the spot to help his team advance 4-2 on penalties.
Sevilla overcame fourth-tier Olot 3-1 with goals from Gonzalo Montiel, Juanlu Sanchez and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Second-tier Burgos was eliminated 1-0 at Marbella thanks to a second-half stoppage time strike from Jorge Álvarez.
Second division side Castellon also lost, going down 4-3 on penalties at third-tier Ponferradina after the scores were tied 1-1 after extra time.
Fourth-tier Racing de Ferrol scored late in a 2-1 win at third-tier Barakaldo, and Cartagena won 1-0 against Andorra, the side owned by former Barcelona player Gerard Piqué.
Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Mallorca all have byes to January’s third round.
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