Caudal’s Late Surge Keeps Title Hopes Alive as Llanes Falter Again at San José

A crisp autumn afternoon at Estadio San José brought little comfort to the home crowd in Llanes, as visiting Caudal reinforced their promotion credentials with a resilient 2-1 victory, vaulting them closer to the summit of Tercera División RFEF – Group 2 and deepening Llanes’s early season woes.

For Caudal, October’s promise remains undimmed. Still unbeaten after five games, the team from Mieres delivered another measured away performance—one that underscored why they are swiftly emerging as one of the division’s most reliable sides. For Llanes, entrenched in the lower reaches of the table, this defeat felt painfully familiar, a continuation of a stuttering run that now leaves them languishing in 13th.

The contest unfolded with the expected early intensity, the stakes made clear by Llanes’s desperate need for points and Caudal’s quiet confidence. The visitors gradually seized control, threading their play through midfield and probing an often overworked Llanes back line. The breakthrough arrived on 35 minutes, a product of Caudal’s methodical approach: a sweeping move from left to right found its way into the penalty area, where a clinical finish put the visitors ahead, silencing the home faithful and setting the tone for what felt like an inevitable away triumph.

Llanes, chastened but undeterred, returned from the interval with a newfound urgency. Their pressure paid dividends just before the hour mark. In the 56th minute, they capitalized on a defensive lapse, drawing level with a goal that momentarily breathed life back into the campaign and the stands. Home supporters, so used to frustration in recent weeks, allowed themselves a brief moment of hope.

But Caudal’s response was emblematic of a team accustomed to adversity and capable of recalibration. Far from retreating into caution, they sought to reassert control, and their persistence was rewarded in the 69th minute. Exploiting space down the channels, they carved open the Llanes defense, notching the decisive goal just as the hosts began to chase the game more recklessly.

The contest’s closing stages devolved into a nervy, scrappy affair—Llanes hurling bodies forward in search of an equalizer, Caudal content to absorb pressure and counter. Neither side saw red, but emotions ran high as stoppage time loomed; the stakes, at least for Llanes, felt existential.

This latest chapter in Llanes’s campaign is a microcosm of their autumn so far: flashes of cohesion drowned out by lapses at pivotal moments. The club’s last five outings have yielded just one win—a slender 1-0 at home against Navarro—and a pair of draws that suggest resilience but, critically, not much progress. With only five points from as many matches, Llanes’s flirtation with the relegation zone is now alarmingly real. Their defeat at Siero last week (1-3) and narrow loss to Lenense on opening day (1-2) bookend a run that manager and supporters alike will want to swiftly consign to history.

In sharp contrast, Caudal’s trajectory is unmistakably upward. With three wins and two draws, their 11-point haul now places them just outside the automatic promotion spots. They have been particularly effective on the road, with victories at Mosconia and authoritative performances like today’s a testament to discipline and squad depth. Last week’s five-goal thriller against Sporting Gijón II (3-2) showcased their attacking edge, while previous clean sheets point to defensive solidity—a balance that few in Group 2 have thus far achieved.

If head-to-head history presaged a close affair at San José, today’s evidence suggests the gap between these sides may be widening. Llanes will be left to dwell on what might have been, ruing missed chances and defensive errors, while Caudal now turn their attention to the upper echelons—this victory a further validation of their ambition.

Looking ahead, Llanes face a critical juncture in their season. With fixtures coming thick and fast, and with league position already perilous, their margin for error continues to shrink. A response is imperative—not just for survival, but for restoring belief to a team and town in need of it. For Caudal, the outlook is decidedly rosier: still unbeaten and brimming with momentum, they have placed themselves firmly in the early conversation for promotion.

The table, at this early stage, may be a snapshot, not a prophecy. But on a chilly afternoon in Llanes, Caudal issued a statement: their ambition is no longer a whisper, but a shout.