Spanish Segunda clubs Numancia and Sporting Gijon will meet on Thursday night in the Copa del Rey. The two Spanish clubs met in last season’s Copa del Rey third round with Numancia going through on penalties.
Numancia went on to play in the round of 16 where they lost to Real Madrid 5-2 on aggregate. Aritz Lopez Garai will hope his side can make a similar run in the tournament once more. Numancia must get past Segunda rivals Sporting Gijon to do so.
Numancia have been in decent league form. Garai’s team has recorded five points from 12. Defence has been a problem for the side with seven goals conceded from four matches. The club is conceding 1.75 goals per match in the Segunda.
Meanwhile, Numancia have tallied seven goals. The good news is home has been where the heart is for Garia and company. Numancia have recorded four of their five points at their Los Pajaritos ground. The club’s goal scoring record at home has been poor, however. Just two goals have been tallied at Los Pajaritos.
Sporting Gijon sit two points above Numancia in the Segunda table, but as everyone knows, league form goes out the window when playing in the Copa del Rey. Gijon are +3 in goal difference with just two goals conceded in four matches. Ruben Baraja’s team has won 13 of their last 15 home matches in league play, but Thursday night will see the side on the road. Gijon haven’t won on the road yet this term in the league.
Coincidentally, Gijon will host Numancia in the Segunda on Sunday. Their last six meetings in all competitions have seen the two sides play evenly. Numanica have won two of their last six matches against Gijon, while the visitors have recorded two victories in all competitions.
Numancia are favoured by leading sportsbooks to pick up the win. The team’s lack of goals will keep them from picking up the win in regular time, however. Forwards Alain Oyarzun and Guillermo lead the team with two goals each. Gijon haven’t had one dominant goal scorer. The league’s goals have been spread between five different players.
Last season saw Numancia and Sporting Gijon play to a 1-1 draw in regular time. Extra-time couldn’t sort out the teams and penalties were needed. Once again, Numancia and Sporting Gijon will finish the 90 minutes level. It will take extra-time and possibly penalties to decide which Segunda side will go to the third round of the Copa del Rey.