Tito Peinado's team has reached the semifinals after defeating two higher-division opponents. If they repeat this feat a third time this Wednesday, they will reach the grand final at El Alcoraz.
The final stretch of the innovative and successful Diputación Cup is upon us: this Wednesday, August 21st, the two semifinals will be played, featuring the only remaining team from the Bajo/Baix Cinca region in the tournament: Ontiñena CF. Their path to the semifinals hasn't been easy, having already defeated two third-division teams. But in this next match, they face SD Huesca B, another third-division side, and one they don't know as well as their previous opponents.
Ontiñena already warned of their strength at El Balsal
Despite the friendly nature of the DPH Cup, Ontiñena CF saw this tournament as the perfect opportunity to compete at a high level starting in August, guaranteeing them valuable match practice ahead of the league competition. The challenge, as confirmed to this newspaper by club president Hugo Lax, was clear: to win the final at El Alcoraz , which will be played in Huesca on August 30th.
To reach the semi-finals, it was necessary to pull off two upsets : defeating Tamarite and UD Fraga, teams that were hierarchically superior, but who came up against the main threat of the Ontinyen team: the strength they show when playing at home.
And this isn't exactly a surprise: Lax themselves warned before the tournament that this could happen, given their virtually flawless home record over the past year. Now, we'll see if SD Huesca B can have the same luck and if the club from Bajo/Baix Cinca can celebrate their long-awaited passage to the final.
Final hurdle: SD Huesca B
Pablo Cregenzán, Ontiñena's assistant coach, has once again analyzed the upcoming match with this newspaper, and has already warned that the mission is more complex than in previous phases : they face an opponent that, due to its proximity, they do not have "as well controlled as Tamarite or Fraga," so the coaching staff has been working for days to scrutinize them in order to face the match in the best possible conditions.
They face their third third-division opponent, but they do so "with the certainty of having the strength of our home ground ," he adds. In this regard, Cregenzán himself also highlighted another of the pillars on which their performance has been based in recent weeks: the fans, who "are responding better every day." Against Fraga, the turnout was outstanding, and no less is expected for the semifinal match, scheduled for 19:30 p.m. at their home stadium.
Therefore, only one more step remains in this adventure, and winning it would round off the "very good performance" they've already delivered in the DPH Cup . Whatever happens, at least they can boast of being one of the first four semifinalists in this pioneering edition, which they enter with "the certainty of having a cash prize."
