Ten Men Can't Break the Stalemate as Ebro and Real Unión Settle for Goalless Draw

The narrative at Estadio Almozara on Saturday afternoon was supposed to write itself—a struggling Ebro side seeking redemption at home against an unbeaten Real Unión squad climbing the Segunda División RFEF Group 2 table. Instead, both teams delivered 90 minutes of caution and stalemate, finishing in a scoreless draw that felt more like a missed opportunity than a hard-earned point.

The match deteriorated further for the hosts in the dying moments when an Ebro player received his marching orders in the 90th minute, though by then the result had long been sealed. It was the kind of ending that felt almost symbolic—a flash of red punctuating an afternoon defined by frustration and defensive solidity.

For Real Unión, the visitors from Irun, this represented their fourth draw in five matches, a pattern that speaks to both their defensive discipline and their inability to finish. They arrived at Almozara as the only unbeaten side in the encounter, sitting comfortably in sixth place with nine points from five outings. Their recent form—three consecutive draws sandwiched between two victories in September—suggests a team that has mastered the art of not losing without quite figuring out how to win consistently.

Ebro, meanwhile, continues to search for identity in 11th place with just six points from an identical five-match slate. The hosts have drawn three times already this season, including last week's 1-1 result at Beasain and a scoreless stalemate against Amorebieta in mid-September. Their lone victory, a convincing 3-1 thrashing of Ejea on September 27, now feels like an outlier rather than a turning point. Saturday's draw extended their winless run to three matches, and the late red card only compounds their troubles moving forward.

The match itself unfolded with the predictability of two evenly matched sides unwilling to concede the first goal. Both teams probed without penetrating, testing without truly threatening. Real Unión's defensive structure, which has allowed just three goals in their last four matches, proved impenetrable once again. Ebro, despite playing at home, couldn't muster the creativity or urgency needed to break down a disciplined backline that has become Real Unión's calling card this season.

What made the afternoon particularly frustrating for the home supporters was the absence of the attacking verve that Ebro displayed against Ejea, when they scored three times including two goals within two minutes spanning halftime. That explosiveness was nowhere to be found on Saturday, replaced instead by tentative buildup play and half-chances that never materialized into genuine threats.

Real Unión, for their part, seemed content to absorb pressure and hit on the counter, a strategy that has served them well in remaining unbeaten but hasn't delivered the victories needed to seriously challenge for promotion. Their late-game heroics against Mutilvera—where they scored twice in the 90th minute to secure a 3-1 win—showed they possess finishing ability. But against Ebro's organized defense, those qualities remained dormant.

The late dismissal of the Ebro player added insult to injury for the hosts, who will now face their next challenge a man short through suspension. It was the kind of undisciplined moment that plagues teams struggling for consistency, a loss of composure when composure was all that remained worth preserving.

As both teams departed Estadio Almozara, the afternoon felt less like a battle fought and more like an opportunity squandered. Real Unión extended their unbeaten streak but failed to capitalize on a chance to climb the table. Ebro avoided defeat at home but did little to suggest they're ready to mount a climb from mid-table mediocrity.

For Real Unión, maintaining their unbeaten record provides a foundation to build upon, even if their draw habit prevents them from truly separating themselves in the promotion race. For Ebro, the pattern of draws continues to define their season—a team capable of occasional brilliance but too often settling for the safety of a shared point. Saturday's stalemate was the latest chapter in that story, written in frustration and sealed with a late red card that seemed to capture the afternoon's essence perfectly.