In a match that defied both statistics and expectations, Cordoba emerged with a gritty 1-0 win over Zaragoza at Ibercaja Estadio in the Segunda División, despite managing just a single shot and completing a mere 23 passes throughout the match. For large stretches, the game resembled a chess match more than a football spectacle, with Cordoba's near-total possession failing to translate into attacking ambition and Zaragoza’s resistance ultimately undone by a moment of opportunism.

Cordoba, led by head coach Iván Ania Cadavieco, set out with a 4-3-3 formation centered on controlling the midfield through diligent passing and disciplined structure. The visitors monopolized the ball, enjoying a staggering 77% possession, but their attack was blunted—mustering only one shot over 90 minutes. Zaragoza, conversely, saw just 23% of the play and completed a paltry seven passes, as the home side struggled to assert themselves and spent most of the afternoon chasing shadows.

The decisive moment came early in the contest. Cordoba capitalized on their only shot of the game, a testament to ruthless efficiency that left Zaragoza keeper Esteban Andrada with little chance. The away side then retreated into an even deeper shell, intent on disrupting Zaragoza’s rhythm and grinding out the three points.

Tension simmered as referee Rafael Sánchez López showed yellow cards with increasing frequency—a sign of mounting frustration on both sides. Zaragoza's Paul Akouokou was particularly embroiled in the late drama, collecting a second booking for a robust challenge in the dying minutes that saw him dismissed with a direct red card at the 89th minute. He was quickly followed into the book by goalkeeper Andrada, further compounding Zaragoza’s woes.

Substitutions did little to shift the momentum. Cordoba’s discipline at the back, marshaled by Ignasi Vilarrasa and Franck Fomeyem, blunted the minimal threat posed by Zaragoza’s forward line, while Córdoba’s midfield trio of Isma Ruiz, Dalisson de Almeida, and Dani Requena controlled the tempo with impressive maturity.

For Zaragoza, this defeat will sting—not just for the points dropped at home, but for the impotence in possession and the lack of meaningful chances created. For Cordoba, this was a tactical masterclass in containment, their single shot a reminder that, sometimes, efficiency trumps intent. The win lifts Cordoba off the bottom of the table and injects renewed optimism into a campaign that had threatened to unravel.