UD Las Palmas lost 1-0 to Orlando Pirates at the Marbella Football Center, in a match marked by the yellow team's lack of precision and two shots hitting the posts.
This Saturday, the Marbella Football Center hosted UD Las Palmas' first pre-season friendly, which ended in a 1-0 defeat against South African champions Orlando Pirates. The Canary side dominated possession and created chances, but their lack of accuracy and the woodwork prevented them from scoring.
Coach Rubén de la Barrera lined up a starting eleven with eight homegrown players, giving prominence to local talent. From the first minute, Las Palmas took control of the ball, looking for quick combinations in midfield.
Manu Fuster warned early on, in the 9th minute, with a shot from the edge of the area that grazed the post. Shortly after, homegrown player Elías Romero also came close to scoring after a rebound from South African goalkeeper Siyabonga Dladla, but his shot kissed the woodwork.
Orlando Pirates, who had been sitting back, began to stretch their lines past the half-hour mark. Lungu tried his luck with a shot that went to the outside of the net, and José Antonio Caro, the yellow goalkeeper, had to intervene to clear a long-range effort.
Just before half-time, a mistake in Las Palmas' ball exit allowed a counter-attack from Orlando Pirates, which Msedami finished with a powerful right-footed shot. Caro slightly deflected the ball, which hit the crossbar, leaving the score 0-0 at half-time.
In the second half, De la Barrera made eight simultaneous changes, keeping only Valentín Pezzolesi, Iñaki González, and Adam Arvelo. Las Palmas tried to regain dominance, but the match entered a phase of tactical equality, with both teams not taking risks.
The match was decided in the final minutes. In the 83rd minute, Miyashiro shot and the ball hit the woodwork, the third time the posts denied Las Palmas a goal. Three minutes later, Radiopane from Orlando Pirates seized a loose ball at the edge of the area and surprised goalkeeper Adrián Suárez with a long-range strike, making it 0-1.
The yellow response was immediate: in the 89th minute, a perfect collective play set up Bassinga, whose cross found Valentín Pezzolesi, who again shot against the crossbar. The final whistle confirmed the defeat, leaving the feeling that a lack of precision condemned the team.
For Orlando Pirates, the victory serves as a good pre-season test against a La Liga rival. For UD Las Palmas, the defeat acts as a warning ahead of upcoming friendlies, where they will need to sharpen their accuracy.
Las Palmas' next pre-season commitment will be on Wednesday, July 24, against Al Jazira, also at the Marbella Football Center, at 19:00 hours.
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