Águilas vs Almeria

The first half was entirely one-way traffic. García Pimienta's Almería, playing their first pre-season friendly of the summer, dominated possession and created a series of chances through the left flank. Quim Junyent — the Spain U19 European Championship winner and tournament MVP, making his first appearance in a red-and-white shirt — was the standout performer in the opening 45 minutes. His direct running and low centre of gravity caused constant problems for the Águilas defence.

Nico Melamed curled a free-kick narrowly over the crossbar in the 5th minute. Jon Morcillo, deployed as an inverted left-back, fired a diagonal shot just wide from distance in the 14th minute. The best chance of the half fell to Iddrisu Baba in the 17th minute after a slick combination between Junyent and Morcillo, but his goal-bound shot was cleared off the line by a covering Águilas defender.

Águilas, who only began pre-season training earlier that week, rarely threatened. A speculative volley from Josema Raigal around the half-hour mark was their only attempt of note. Rodrigo Ely was forced off with what appeared to be an injury just past the half-hour mark, a minor concern for the Almería coaching staff.

The match was decided inside the first 120 seconds of the second half. Sergio Arribas, who had been introduced at the break, rose highest to flick on a ball into the central channel. Miguel de la Fuente — who spent last season on loan at the club and has now been made a permanent Almería player — latched onto it, took one touch to set himself, and drilled a low, powerful shot past Salcedo from the edge of the box. It was his first touch of the game.

The early goal allowed Almería to control the tempo of the second period. García Pimienta made wholesale changes, introducing ten new players, and the side's structure remained solid. Águilas improved as the half wore on and came closest to an equaliser when Vinicius forced a sharp save from substitute goalkeeper Bruno Iribarne in the closing stages. Águilas also struck the woodwork through Abel Molinero after a defensive slip from Rosic, but Almería held firm.

Quim Junyent — The 19-year-old, fresh from winning the U19 European Championship with Spain and being named Player of the Tournament, was the most electric player on the pitch. Operating from the left flank with freedom to drift inside, his dribbling, change of pace and intelligence in tight spaces made him the focal point of Almería's first-half attacking play — an early glimpse of why García Pimienta invested significant pre-season minutes in integrating him.

Miguel de la Fuente — The match-winner. One touch, one finish, and the only goal of the game. His movement to anticipate Arribas's flick and his composure to finish first-time from the edge of the box were the decisive moments in an otherwise tight contest.

Iddrisu Baba — The Ghanaian midfielder anchored the midfield with discipline, screened the back four effectively, and came closest to scoring in the first half with a goal-line clearance denying him.

Player of the Match: Quim Junyent — his first-half performance set the tone for Almería's dominance, even if De la Fuente took the headlines.

The provider payload confirms a 0-0 half-time and 0-1 full-time scoreline, reflecting a game tilted heavily in Almería's favour throughout. The single goal came early in the second half, which aligns with the pattern of a pre-season friendly where one side — Almería, in their second week of pre-season — had a clear fitness advantage over Águilas, who only began training that week. The clean sheet, combined with territorial dominance, points to early signs of defensive solidity under García Pimienta, who has emphasised pressing and organisation since taking charge.

This was Almería's first pre-season friendly under Xavi García Pimienta, who took over in the summer of 2026. The victory marks a winning start for the Catalan coach, whose side will aim to challenge for promotion back to La Liga after finishing in Segunda División. The Memorial Alfonso García Zapata trophy — named after the former Almería and Águilas president — added symbolic weight to the fixture.

For Águilas, competing in Primera Federación (the third tier of Spanish football) after promotion, this was their first pre-season test. Head coach Molo Casas — himself a former Almería player (2005–2007) — will have taken encouragement from his side's resilience after the early goal, particularly the second-half threat through Vinicius and Molinero.

Almería's next pre-season friendlies: vs Granada CF (29 July), vs Real Betis (1 August), vs Al Nassr (4 August), vs Córdoba CF (7 August).

Águilas's next pre-season fixture: TBC.

A professional, controlled performance from García Pimienta's Almería, who dominated from start to finish. The sight of Quim Junyent gliding past defenders in the first half will be the most encouraging takeaway for Almería supporters. De la Fuente's goal was a moment of quality that settled a game Almería always looked likely to win. Águilas, still building match fitness, competed well in patches but lacked the attacking sharpness to trouble a well-drilled Segunda División side.