FC Andorra vs Cartagena Prediction 05.12.2024 | Copa del Rey

• Competition: Spain - Copa del Rey
• Date: Thursday, 5th, December 2024
• Kickoff: 19:00 UK / 20.00 CET
• Venue: Estadi Nacional (Andorra la Vella)

Looking to reach the Copa del Rey third round for the fourth straight season, Cartagena heads to Estadio Nacional to take on third-tier Andorra FC on Thursday.

Since the turn of the 21st century, FC Andorra have failed to advance beyond the second round of the national cup in five attempts, with last year’s campaign ending in disappointment as they suffered a shocking 0-1 defeat to amateur side Atletico Astorga in the opening round. This season, however, Ferran Costa’s squad refused to fall prey to lower-league opposition, but they had to dig deep to secure their spot in the second round, edging past fourth-division side CD Don Benito 2-1 in the closing stages of the match.

Unlike Thursday's hosts, Cartagena can boast a more consistent cup run, having reached the third round in each of their last three Copa del Rey campaigns, including the previous one where they put up a fierce fight against Valencia but ultimately fell 2-1 in extra time, even though they had drawn first blood with Ortuno’s third-minute strike. In their opening appearance of the 2024-25 campaign, the Zebras faced a stern challenge against a rival three tiers above them, needing a late rescue from super-sub Luis Munoz, who struck in the dying minutes to finally break SD Beasain's stubborn resistance.

FC Andorra vs Cartagena Betting Tips: UNDER 2.5

As they approach their Thursday cup clash, neither side brings much optimism, and in fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if the fate of the Copa del Rey third-round spot between these this pair is decided only after extra time or penalties. Even though Cartagena hold a higher status, FC Andorra have proven to be very tough to beat on their turf this season, as they going unbeaten in any of their first seven home matches (W3 D4), with only one of those seeing more than two goals. 

Cartagena’s recent away form has been abysmal, as their late 1-0 victory over Beasain in the Copa del Rey opener is the lone moment of light in a grim seven-match road run, during which they were defeated in the other six trips. To make matters worse, the Zebras' attacking line has looked thin and ineffective lately, as they were kept off the scoresheet in their last two trips, with only Munoz's late intervention off the bench allowing them to break down a fifth-tier side in their Copa del Rey opener. The last encounter between these rivals was settled by a lone strike in favor of Cartagena, and we believe a similar outcome is likely here, especially since both teams lack creativity in front of goal, which makes us expect a subdued contest.