Alcoyano edged Hércules 1-0 in a Club Friendly at the start of August, though the scoreline tells only half the story. The visitors controlled the ball for most of the encounter, yet found themselves on the wrong side of a tight contest. It was the kind of match where possession means little without the final product.
The opening moment came in the 45th minute when T. Iniesta broke the deadlock. By then, Hércules had been camped in the final third, probing for an opening that never materialised until the closing seconds. And here's the thing — the home side didn't need more than one chance to make it count.
There was a second goal just before the break, marked 45+2, adding to the confusion. Hércules had dominated the statistics but couldn't convert their superiority into a comfortable lead. The hosts weathered the storm and took advantage when it mattered.
The numbers tell their own tale. Hércules registered 116 attacks against 89 for the hosts, while possession sat at 64 per cent in their favour. Three yellow cards for the visitors compared to one for Alcoyano suggests frustration mounting. Many shots with one goal means chances went begging.
For Hércules, this friendly ended with questions rather than answers. They had recent form to build on — a 2-0 win over Cacauatique in April — but couldn't impose themselves here. The result won't change the table, but it might change how they approach their next outing.