Arnedo Strikes Late to Sink Autol 3-0 and Reignite Ambitions in Tercera División RFEF

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ESTADIO LA MANZANERA, AUTOL — The late autumn sun cast long shadows over La Manzanera’s patchwork turf on Sunday, but it was Arnedo who stepped out from under their own, searing a late flurry of goals into Autol’s net and the Tercera División RFEF—Group 16 table. After 82 minutes of stalemate, Arnedo’s persistence paid off in dramatic fashion, netting three unanswered goals in the final seven minutes to secure a emphatic 3-0 away victory over a stunned Autol side.

A Game in the Balance

For much of the afternoon, the match unfolded as a tense, physical contest befitting two sides seeking to steady themselves in a tight mid-table tussle. Autol entered the day with a slender lead on points over their La Rioja rivals, but without the security of consistency—having alternated wins and losses across their opening five fixtures. Arnedo, for their part, arrived in Autol with disappointments to exorcise, having lost consecutive matches without scoring.

The opening half played to the script of two cautious teams, both probing, neither willing to commit numbers forward. Arnedo showed flashes of incision on the counter, while Autol’s midfield struggled to supply its forwards with clear chances. The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock was a speculative drive from Autol’s captain midway through the first half, which sailed narrowly over the bar.

The Breakthrough—and the Collapse

It was, then, all the more jarring that a match defined by its nerves would unravel so spectacularly within minutes. With the clock ticking past 80—and fans settling for what seemed an inevitable draw—a quick Arnedo attack down the right found daylight. A cut-back into the box, a scramble at the near post, and the ball was bundled home in the 83rd minute. The scorer’s identity was lost in the melee—one final indignity for Autol on a day of unraveling.

Autol, chasing the game, tossed caution aside. The response was immediate: defensive lines pushed higher, midfielders surged forward, and the gaps yawned behind. Sensing their hosts’ desperation, Arnedo pressed the advantage. In the 90th minute, they doubled their lead as another incisive breakaway finished with a crisp shot into the bottom corner. The home crowd scarcely had time to recapture its breath before the visitors struck again, piling on a third goal moments later.

A Turning Point in Fortune

For Arnedo, this was more than just three points—it was a statement win after a dry spell that threatened their early-season ambitions. Coming off back-to-back shutout losses, the urgency was evident. The late-game onslaught should serve as a reminder to the rest of Group 16: this is a team capable of striking in bursts, even when the contest appears deadlocked.

Autol, meanwhile, must contend with a worrying trend. Their record—two wins, three losses—betrays a defense increasingly prone to late collapses. In five matches, they have now conceded 12 goals, with eight of those arriving in the second half. Today’s unraveling was particularly bruising, with all three goals conceded after the 80th minute, a pattern the coaching staff cannot afford to ignore.

Table Implications and What’s Next

The immediate impact on the standings is significant. Arnedo leapfrogs Autol, climbing to 8th place with 7 points, their campaign reignited just as doubts took root. For a club that harbored promotion aspirations after a strong start, the victory could not have come at a more opportune moment. If Arnedo can channel the ruthlessness witnessed at La Manzanera into sustained form, they will not be outsiders in the playoff race for long.

Autol, by contrast, sink to 14th, their six points now rendered precarious. With a defense leaking at crucial moments, the threats of the relegation battle are no longer distant shadows but present realities. The coming fixtures—against sides equally desperate for points—will test their steel and their system.

Looking Ahead

There was little in the playbook to suggest a rout on Sunday, but football often reserves its sharpest twists for the final pages. For Arnedo, the late goals were a catharsis; for Autol, a cautionary tale.

As the season deepens, both clubs face a contest not merely of results but of nerve. Arnedo’s resurgence, forged in the heat of adversity, could mark the start of a climb. Autol, meanwhile, must regroup quickly lest the disappointments compound.

One truth remains: in Group 16, no lead is safe, no script assured—and no team, today or tomorrow, can afford to blink when the margin is thin, and the minutes are few.