Mato maintains perfect Castilla record

An early goal from Alberto Mato proved sufficient for Castilla y León AMA to edge past Savez Gradiška AMA and end UEFA Regions' Cup Group B with a 100 per cent record.

Six of the best
After timing his run perfectly, Mato controlled a long pass, rounded onrushing goalkeeper Nikola Crnčević and slotted the ball into the empty net on 16 minutes. The victory was the Spanish side's sixth in as many matches in the 2008/09 competition having also won all three matches in the Intermediary round.

Spirited performance
Savez Gradiška were determined from the outset and Nenad Kukić tested Manuel Ordonez from distance in the opening minute. Striker Milutin Sekimić typified the Bosnian outfit's resolve in his role as a lone striker after Darko Subašić was dismissed in the 20th minute for his second booking. Sekimić was proving a menace to the Castilla defence and came close to equalising on two occasions, volleying just over the crossbar after 64 minutes and failing to finish from an acute angle soon after having rounded Ordonez.

Possession football
Keeping the ball as they have done throughout the tournament, Castilla also had chances to increase their lead with Mato working Crnčević from a long-range free-kick and Ayrton Cabral heading over from close range after Javier Vidal, Samuel García and Mato combined down the left.

Frenetic finish
Castilla nearly came to rue those missed chances in the 90th minute, though. Sekimić and substitute Nikola Željković conspired to release Srdjan Aničić, whose left-footed shot beat Ordonez but, fortunately for the Castilla No1, struck the post and bounced to safety.