Elche secured a 1-0 win against Copenhagen in a friendly match played on Sunday morning at Martínez Valero. The decisive goal was scored by Elbasan Rashani at the 30-minute mark, giving the Franjiverdes the victory against the leader of the Denmark League. Copenhagen, which is currently competing in the Conference League, is in the middle of a break from its domestic competition.
The Elche team started the match with a lineup consisting of mostly unconventional players in the League. Eder Sarabia’s starting eleven included San Román, Mario Gaspar, John Chetauya, Bigas, Jairo Izquierdo, Gerard Hernández, Raúl Guti, R. Mendoza, Josan, Rashani, and Mourad. In the second half, players such as Diaby and Canteanos Owen Bosch, Adam, Albert, Rafa Núñez, Fitzgerald, Iomar, and Aly Haryry entered the game.
Diaby, who was the only player from the defeat against Mirandés to participate in the friendly, had been sent off in the previous game. The central defender was expelled at the beginning of the second act of the game in Anduva, which was played just 24 hours before the Elche-Copenhagen match. Following the loss to Mirandés, Elche dropped out of the direct promotion zone. John, Bigas, Jairo, Josan, and Raúl Guti were some of the players who entered the game against Mirandés after the resumption.
Market closure
Elche is approaching the final day of the winter market with pending requests from Eder Sarabia, including the signing of two new wingers, one for each side. For the right-wing position, Pejiño is expected to arrive on loan from Las Palmas, unless there is an unexpected turn of events. For the left-wing position, the club is in need of a new face due to the serious injury of Yago de Santiago, but the loan incorporation of Germán Valera from Valencia has been complicated.
So far, the Martínez Valero club has only confirmed the signing of one player in January: Jairo Izquierdo, who has arrived as a substitute for Clerc on the left-handed side. In addition to Clerc, other players who have left the team include Cristian Salvador, who moved to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger Chino, and Barzic, who was assigned to Eldense.