FC Andorra Secure Segunda División Survival with 1-0 Win Over Valladolid

FC Andorra have mathematically secured their Segunda División status with a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid in Encamp, thanks to a spectacular goal from Marc Cardona, leaving the team eight points from the promotion play-offs with six matches remaining.

The win extends the Pyrenean side's strong run, having claimed 23 of the last 30 points and seven victories in their past 10 outings. Goalkeeper Jesús Owono, on loan from Alavés, remains optimistic despite statisticians estimating play-off chances at 1.1%. "Looking upwards is always nice, but with both feet on the ground, letting the work determine how far we can go," he told reporters. He highlighted the shift from struggling for results a month ago to three consecutive wins against Racing, Cádiz, and now Valladolid—the latter two with clean sheets.

Owono prioritised team success over personal milestones. "The most important thing is the team getting victories. Defence starts from the forwards to me. We've minimised opponents' attacks, and it's shown in the results." Since mid-February, following limited early-season action, he has started every match: seven wins, two draws, and one loss in 10 appearances. He credited the campaign's "micro-stages," where players step up as needed, and expressed no frustration over initial bench time.

Coach Carles Manso praised the squad's growth and maturity, especially after earlier setbacks. "We see the team evolving, and everything we've worked on is coming together," he said, noting just one loss in the last seven or eight games. The team now ranks among the division's top performers over the final 10 rounds, ninth with 52 points. Manso tempered expectations: "Neither were we that bad before, nor are we that good now." He stressed realism, warning against play-off fixation if unmet, while eyeing a points record from 2022-23 and the immediate trip to Leganés. "The next goal is to win at Leganés."

Cardona, a winter arrival with minimal prior minutes, scored on his first shot as a Tricolor, embodying the bench contributions Manso lauded for their "richness" through versatility. The dressing room buzzed with relief over survival and hope for more, though injuries like Jastin’s hamstring rupture—Owono's teammate of special affection—cast a shadow.

Owono, eyeing a return to Alavés in La Liga, called his Andorran stint a "season of much learning," refining his game amid a supportive group atmosphere. The focus now turns to Leganés, a relegation-threatened side missing key defenders, as Andorra aim to sustain momentum.