EF Santa Cruz edged Atlético Pulpileño 3-2 in a pulsating Spanish Tercera División RFEF encounter on 24 October 2026, with a late winner settling a match that swung one way and then the other. On a warm afternoon at the Estadio Municipal José Vigil, the hosts raced into a two-goal lead, surrendered it after the break, and then found one final moment of quality to take all three points.

Match overview

The game pitted Santa Cruz’s patient possession game against Pulpileño’s direct, aggressive pressing, and the contrast produced an open contest from the first whistle. Santa Cruz looked sharper in the opening half-hour and were rewarded for their control, while Pulpileño grew into the match after the interval and briefly looked the more likely winner. The result leaves Santa Cruz with a valuable home victory and Pulpileño with plenty of encouragement despite the defeat.

Key moments

• 14th minute – Santa Cruz 1-0: Javi Melgar opened the scoring with a low finish after a neat exchange on the edge of the box.
• 37th minute – Santa Cruz 2-0: Melgar doubled his tally, reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the area.
• 54th minute – Santa Cruz 2-1: Chiri pulled one back for Pulpileño with a header from a deep cross.
• 71st minute – 2-2: Josema brought the visitors level with a calm finish after a quick counter-attack.
• 86th minute – Santa Cruz 3-2: Álvaro Sánchez won it for the hosts with a composed strike from the edge of the box.

Tactical story

Santa Cruz controlled the first half by circulating the ball quickly through midfield and using the width of the pitch to stretch Pulpileño’s back line. The home side’s pressing also forced a number of turnovers in dangerous areas, and their two-goal cushion was a fair reflection of their superiority before the break.

Pulpileño changed the momentum after half-time by pushing their full-backs higher and committing more bodies into the box. The switch to a more direct approach paid off almost immediately, and for a 15-minute spell Santa Cruz looked rattled. The equaliser felt inevitable once the visitors began winning second balls, but Santa Cruz showed character to steady themselves and find the winning goal late on.

Standout players

Javi Melgar was the game’s outstanding attacking force, scoring twice and constantly finding space between Pulpileño’s midfield and defence. Álvaro Sánchez produced the decisive moment and was a composed presence in the final third. For Pulpileño, Chiri and Josema deserved credit for dragging their side back into the contest, while goalkeeper Rubén made several important saves to keep the scoreline respectable before the late winner.

Season impact

The win gives Santa Cruz a timely boost in the Tercera División RFEF standings and reinforces their home form as a platform for the campaign. For Pulpileño, the performance will be remembered for the comeback rather than the result, but the defeat highlights the need to manage games better after equalising. Both sides now turn their attention to the next round of fixtures with plenty to build on.