Real Madrid Castilla made it two wins in a row — and three overall this season — with a narrow but convincing 1–0 victory over Pontevedra at the Alfredo Di Stéfano. Once again, the headline name was César Palacios, whose brilliant first-half goal sealed the three points and capped another outstanding individual performance.
Palacios’ strike wasn’t his only contribution. The young midfielder was the focal point of everything positive in Castilla’s attack: he scored, nearly drew a red card in a heated moment that was later reviewed, and created several dangerous chances — including a perfect pass to Loren that could have doubled the lead.
A Confident Castilla Take Control Early
Álvaro Arbeloa’s team began the game determined to secure a second straight home win, maintaining their characteristic attacking intent. They pushed forward with energy but struggled to find rhythm in the opening stages..
But then Loren Zúñiga cleverly dragged defenders out of position before laying the ball off to Palacios. The Navarrese midfielder calmly lifted the ball over the keeper to make it 1–0:
From there, Castilla continued to dominate possession. The attacking trident — with Castrelo coming into the starting lineup — looked sharp and mobile, repeatedly probing for a second goal before the break.
Palacios Orchestrates in the Second Half
The second half followed a similar script — Castilla in control, Pontevedra limited to sporadic counters. A second goal seemed inevitable when Palacios slipped Loren through on goal, but the striker’s shot went begging.
Arbeloa, eager to kill the game, turned to his bench for fresh energy. Yáñez, Bruno, and Pol Fortuny entered to stretch the pitch and sustained attacking pressure. The changes helped Castilla maintain control while also addressing the defensive lapses that had hurt them in previous matches.
Match Summary: Castilla 1–0 Pontevedra
Castilla (4–3–3):
Javi Navarro; David Jiménez (82’ Mario Rivas), Joan Martínez, Valdepeñas, Manu Serrano; Manuel Ángel (c) (82’ Lezcano), Cestero, Roberto Martín (70’ Pol Fortuny); Castrelo (54’ Yáñez), Loren Zúñiga (70’ Bruno), Palacios.
Pontevedra (4–2–3–1):
Marqueta; Eimil, Montoro, Miki Bosch, Garay; Yelko Pino (c), Vidorreta (54’ Luisao); Thiago, Alain Ribeiro (76’ Selma), Miguel Cuesta (54’ Álex Glez); Brais Abelenda (90’ Denia).
Coach: Rubén Domínguez.