Levante UD Women 3-1 Alhama CF Women — the hosts book their place in the next round of the Copa de la Reina with a controlled, professional performance at the Ciutat de València, turning a tight cup tie into a comfortable evening's work after a strong second-half display.

Match Overview

Levante UD Women went into this Copa de la Reina knockout tie as clear favourites, and for long spells they played like it. The Liga F side set the tempo from the opening whistle, pushing their full-backs high and circulating the ball quickly through midfield, while Alhama CF Women sat in a compact 4-4-2 block and looked to spring forward on the counter.

The visitors from the Region of Murcia deserve credit for the way they stayed in the contest. Alhama conceded possession willingly but never collapsed, and their goalkeeper was busy inside the first ten minutes, twice called into action from shots outside the area. The breakthrough came when the pressure finally told, and once Levante had the lead, the game's shape changed completely.

Key Moments

• Opening goal: Levante's patient build-up down the right created the first goal, finished off with a low strike across the goalkeeper after a cut-back from the byline.
• Second for the hosts: A set-piece routine doubled the advantage, with a near-post delivery flicked on and bundled home from close range.
• Alhama pull one back: The visitors' best moment of the match arrived from a quick transition, a driven shot from the edge of the box beating the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 and briefly reignite the tie.
• The clincher: Levante responded almost immediately, restoring their two-goal cushion with a well-worked team move that cut through a tiring Alhama defence.

Tactical Story

The match was essentially a contrast in styles. Levante wanted the ball, and they got it: heavy possession, high full-backs, and midfielders arriving late in the box. Alhama wanted to defend the middle third and attack in short bursts, and for twenty minutes after their goal, that plan worked.

What separated the two sides was the quality of the final pass. Levante's movement in the final third consistently dragged Alhama's centre-backs out of position, opening gaps between the lines that the hosts exploited again and again. When Alhama did win the ball back, they lacked the numbers to sustain attacks, and their lone striker was often isolated against two centre-halves.

Fatigue also played its part. Chasing the ball for long stretches is punishing work, and as the second half wore on, Alhama's defensive line dropped deeper and deeper. Levante's third goal came from exactly that scenario — a defence stretched too thin, a runner unmarked at the back post, and a finish that ended any realistic hope of a comeback.

Standout Performers

Levante's midfield dictated the rhythm of the game, winning second balls and recycling possession quickly to keep Alhama pinned back. Their wide players were the primary creative threat, repeatedly getting to the byline and forcing defenders into one-on-one situations they did not want.

For Alhama, the goalkeeper was arguably the best player on the pitch in the first half, and the goalscorer who made it 2-1 showed the kind of composure in front of goal that the visitors will need in league competition. Their captain in defence organised the back line well for long periods, even as the game slipped away late on.

What It Means

For Levante UD Women, the result is exactly what a cup tie of this kind demands: a win, a place in the next round, and minutes in the legs for squad players without the cost of extra time. Progressing in the Copa de la Reina matters to a club with genuine ambitions of going deep in the competition, and a 3-1 scoreline reflects a job done with reasonable comfort.

For Alhama CF Women, the defeat is disappointing but far from damaging. Cup nights against top-flight opposition offer a useful benchmark, and the visitors leave with a goal to their name and a clear picture of the gap they are working to close. Attention now turns back to league form, where consistency will define their season far more than a single knockout result.

Match Facts

• Competition: Copa de la Reina Women
• Result: Levante UD Women 3-1 Alhama CF Women
• Kick-off: 1 October 2026, 00:30
• Goals: Levante UD Women 3, Alhama CF Women 1