Seven goals, two comebacks and a frantic final twenty minutes: CF Pozuelo Alarcón's 4-3 victory over México FC on Sunday evening was the most dramatic match of the Tercera División RFEF weekend. In front of a lively home crowd, Pozuelo twice surrendered the lead before finally edging ahead for good in a game that neither defence will want to watch back.

Match overview

The tone was set almost immediately. Pozuelo Alarcón scored inside the opening ten minutes, only for México FC to equalise within five. By the half-hour mark the scoreboard read 2-2, with both teams defending high, pressing aggressively and leaving vast spaces in behind. It was thrilling, breathless football — and a tactical nightmare for both benches.

The second half initially calmed down, with Pozuelo taking a 3-2 lead from a set piece and then sitting deeper in an attempt to protect it. México FC equalised for a third time with a quarter of an hour remaining, but the hosts found one final push, scoring the winner from a substitute's strike to seal a remarkable three points.

Key moments

• 8' – Pozuelo lead: an early cross from the right is met with a glancing header that nestles in the far corner.
• 13' – México FC level: a defensive mix-up allows the striker to roll the ball into an empty net.
• 26' – Pozuelo back in front: a surging run from midfield ends with a shot deflected beyond the goalkeeper.
• 39' – 2-2: a training-ground free-kick routine is finished at the back post.
• 58' – Pozuelo's third: a corner is headed back across goal and bundled in from close range.
• 75' – México FC equalise again: a long-range strike takes a slight deflection and loops in.
• 84' – The winner: a substitute arriving late in the box converts a low cross to make it 4-3.

Tactical story

Both teams lined up with a back four and a midfield three, and both chose to defend with a high line — a decision that turned the match into a series of foot races. Pozuelo Alarcón's best work came through the wide areas, where their full-backs pushed on aggressively and repeatedly delivered into the box. México FC, meanwhile, found joy by playing direct, bypassing midfield entirely and attacking the space behind.

The decisive tactical shift came in the last twenty minutes, when Pozuelo introduced fresh legs in wide positions and dropped their defensive line five metres deeper. That combination reduced the space México FC had been exploiting and gave the hosts a platform to launch the counter-attack that produced the winning goal. In a game of this nature, small adjustments matter enormously.

Standout players

Pozuelo's substitute was the obvious hero, scoring the 84th-minute winner barely ten minutes after coming on. But the performance of their central midfielder, who covered enormous ground and started virtually every attacking move, was arguably just as important. The centre-forward's hold-up play gave the team an anchor as the match became increasingly stretched.

For México FC, the two-goal contribution from their forward was the highlight of an evening that promised so much and delivered nothing in terms of points. Their set-piece execution was excellent; their open-play defending was not.

What it means in the table

A 4-3 victory is worth the same as a 1-0, but the psychological effect is very different. Pozuelo Alarcón go into their next fixtures with renewed confidence in their attacking play and a clear message that they can win matches even when the game becomes chaotic. México FC, having scored three away from home and still lost, must now confront the defensive issues that have cost them repeatedly this season.

For the neutral supporter, this was a reminder of why the Tercera División RFEF remains one of the most competitive and entertaining tiers in Spanish football — full of goals, momentum swings and unlikely heroes.