Levante UD achieves a last-minute victory to compete in the second round of the Copa SM El Rey.

Levante UD qualified to play in the second round of the Copa SM El Rey after achieving a hard-fought victory against Orihuela CF in a match that, as Julián Calero had warned beforehand, was challenging and required the granota team to fight until the end.

The match started off well for Levante's interests very early on. In the third minute, a corner kick taken by Iker Losada was converted into a goal by Elgezabal with a header. With this goal, the central defender debuted as a scorer for the granota team. Julián Calero's men wanted to widen the gap and went for more. Morales tried with a free kick near the edge of the box that went over the bar. On his second attempt, the forward achieved his goal. After a throw-in by Matturro, Elgezabal extended the ball and assisted Morales, who, from outside the box, sent the ball into the back of the net. Levante UD was effective in the area, and their first two shots on target ended in goals.

Despite this, Orihuela CF gritted their teeth and did not give up. Around the first half-hour of the match, former Levante player Joan Monterde tried with a shot that Pablo Campos saved. A minute later, the home team reduced the deficit through Javier Solsona, who scored from the penalty spot after the referee awarded a penalty. The goal gave life to the Orihuela team, which continued to believe and sought the opposing goal. They tried with a shot from Ignacio Vila, which the granota goalkeeper saved. Towards the end of the first half, Levante UD also tried their luck with a shot from outside the box by Iker Losada, which the goalkeeper caught.

After the restart, the excitement was palpable. The Levante players scored again. This time, the goal came from Carlos Espí's boots, assisted by Morales, but the joy was short-lived. Three minutes later, the home team scored their second goal with a powerful shot from Gonzalo Miranda from the edge of the box. With the crowd chanting "yes we can," José Francisco Grao's team pushed for more. Gonzalo Miranda tried again from outside the box, but Pablo Campos saved it. The visitors responded with a free kick taken by Olasagasti, which Koyalipou headed, but Iván Buigues caught it. Pablo Martínez and A. J. Morales came very close to scoring the fourth goal to seal the match, but the midfielder's shot went wide, and the forward narrowly missed connecting with a good assist from the granota number "10." Almost in the next play, the worst moment of the match occurred as Pablo Martínez was forced to leave the field due to an ankle injury.

The match entered its final stretch, and Orihuela CF knew they were one goal away from forcing a possible extra time. They pushed forward in search of the goal, and Rubén Solano tried with a shot that Pablo Campos saved. In the last minute of regular time, Ayo achieved his team's goal and scored the equalizer. With added time remaining, in the 91st minute, Carlos Espí appeared to score the fourth and decisive goal, securing Levante UD's qualification for the next round of the Copa del Rey.