Mancha Real’s Second-Half Surge Stuns Churriana Vega, Tightens Packed Tercera RFEF Group 9 Table

Under the Andalusian noon sun at Estadio Polideportivo La Juventud, Mancha Real wrote a new chapter in their increasingly compelling campaign, rallying from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Churriana Vega—a result that tightens the race in Tercera División RFEF Group 9 and signals a shift in momentum at the season’s first inflection point.

The match unfolded with the edge of a playoff, not a mid-autumn regular fixture. Both sides entered with ambition: Churriana Vega, fourth with 11 points, could have stretched clear of the pack with a win, while Mancha Real, sitting sixth with 9 points, sought to prove they belong among the division’s upper echelon.

Yet, for much of the first half, the script favored the visitors. Churriana Vega asserted early control, weaving patient passes across midfield and probing Mancha Real’s defensive line for weaknesses. Their breakthrough arrived midway through the opening stanza: a moment of invention saw Churriana’s forward break the deadlock, coolly slotting home after a searing diagonal ball carved open the backline. The away contingent erupted, sensing a statement result was within reach.

But Mancha Real, true to their recent ethos of resiliency, steadied. The hosts, unbeaten in three of their last four entering the contest, have shown a proclivity for late drama—a trait that would prove decisive again today. Raising their intensity after the interval, Mancha Real’s response was clinical. Just after the hour mark, a sweeping move down the right found its way to their talismanic striker inside the box; his deft touch left two defenders stranded before he rifled a low shot beyond the Churriana keeper to level the score.

The equalizer galvanized Mancha Real, turning the contest on its axis. With their supporters in full voice, the hosts pressed for a winner and rode their newfound momentum as Churriana Vega began to recede, unable to reestablish the composure that had defined their first-half performance.

The turning point arrived with a quarter-hour to play. Capitalizing on a loose clearance, Mancha Real’s captain met the ball at the edge of the area and sent a thunderous drive curling into the top corner—a strike worthy of deciding any match. Churriana Vega, suddenly reeling, found no way back despite a late surge of pressure and a string of set pieces in stoppage time. The hosts’ defense, at times suspect this season, held firm.

Throughout, tempers flared but the contest remained largely disciplined, with the referee keeping his cards in pocket except for one late booking—a testament to the high stakes but mutual respect between these ambitious sides.

This result sends ripples through the Group 9 standings. Mancha Real leapfrog into closer contention with the leaders, only two points separating them now from Churriana Vega and those coveted playoff spots. The hosts’ recent form—two wins and two draws from five—now carries added significance. For Churriana Vega, a second defeat in three casts a shadow over what had been a promising start; their early defensive solidity was breached twice and questions will be asked about their midfield’s ability to close out tight matches, especially away from home.

Recent history between these clubs had offered little separation—tight matches, scant goals, neither side holding a clear psychological edge. Today’s comeback win, then, feels doubly significant for Mancha Real, whose campaign last year was often defined by an inability to turn narrow deficits into points.

With the league table now compressed—leadership within touching distance for a half-dozen clubs—the stakes heighten entering the next matchday. Mancha Real’s victory brings renewed optimism: the ability to recover and ultimately turn a deficit into three points offers more than just a move up the standings—it forges the kind of belief that can define a season. Their next fixtures will test that mettle, as consistency now becomes the watchword.

For Churriana Vega, the immediate challenge is regathering composure. With the pack closing in and momentum momentarily lost, their upcoming home date takes on added importance. Whether today’s setback is a mere blip or the start of a slide may well hinge on their response.

October in Andalusia may not decide promotion, but at La Juventud, a statement was made. Mancha Real, bruised but unbowed, are climbing. And Group 9, wide open once again, promises a fiercely contested autumn.