Valle de Egues 0-1 Aoiz — Aoiz claimed a hard-fought 1-0 away victory over Valle de Egues in the Spanish Tercera División RFEF on Saturday night, with a solitary second-half goal separating the two Navarre sides at the Estadio Sarriguren.

Match Overview

The Tercera División RFEF is Spain’s fourth tier, and matches between regional rivals like Valle de Egues and Aoiz are often decided by fine margins. That proved to be the case again here, as both teams cancelled each other out for long spells in a tense, tactical contest. Valle de Egues enjoyed more possession in the first half but struggled to turn that control into clear chances, while Aoiz defended in a compact 4-4-2 and looked to spring forward on the counter.

Key Moments

The decisive moment arrived in the 67th minute. Aoiz won the ball in midfield and quickly shifted it out to the right, where a first-time cross was met by striker Aitor Zabaleta, who guided a low header past the home goalkeeper. It was a goal that perfectly captured the visitors’ game plan: patient, disciplined, and ruthlessly efficient when the opportunity came.

Valle de Egues thought they had found an equaliser ten minutes later when a goalmouth scramble ended with the ball in the net, but the referee ruled it out for a foul on the Aoiz goalkeeper. That decision sparked protests from the home bench, but the visitors held firm. The hosts’ best chance of the night fell to their substitute forward, whose curling effort from the edge of the box clipped the top of the crossbar in the 85th minute.

Tactical Story

Aoiz set up to frustrate, dropping their defensive line deep and inviting Valle de Egues to play in front of them. The home side’s midfield duo saw plenty of the ball but were repeatedly met by a wall of red shirts. When Aoiz did win possession, they moved the ball forward quickly through the channels, targeting the space behind Valle de Egues’s advanced full-backs. The winning goal was a direct product of that approach.

Standout Players

For Aoiz, goalkeeper Unai Lopez was excellent, making two smart saves in the first half and commanding his area well. Goalscorer Aitor Zabaleta led the line with intelligence, holding the ball up and bringing others into play. Valle de Egues’s captain, midfielder Javier Ruiz, was a tireless presence, but he lacked support in the final third.

Season Impact

The three points lift Aoiz into the upper half of the Tercera División RFEF table, keeping them in touch with the promotion play-off places. Valle de Egues, meanwhile, miss the chance to climb the standings and remain in mid-table. Both sides will look to build on this result as the season progresses, with the reverse fixture at Aoiz’s ground sure to be another tightly contested Navarre derby.

• Final score: Valle de Egues 0-1 Aoiz
• Goal: Aitor Zabaleta (67’)
• Competition: Spanish Tercera División RFEF
• Venue: Estadio Sarriguren