“I don’t recall if we managed to win five consecutive games in the Primera Federación season.” – that statement was made yesterday by Iván Ania in the press room at the Estadio Castalia. The answer to his doubt is yes, and it happened twice. With the Asturian at the helm, Córdoba indeed knows what it’s like to win five straight matches during the 2023-24 campaign, which ended with promotion to the Segunda División.
Under his guidance from the bench, Córdoba once again set a record in their recent stint in professional football. Last season, their longest streak was three consecutive wins, and this season, until this spring run, they had the same record. The blanquiverde side extended their perfect April, during which they strung together four victories, with a 1-2 result in yesterday’s match against Castellón. Thus, Córdoba continues to confirm their turnaround in form after their 1-3 win at Estadio Mirandilla against Cádiz on April 4. At that point, they had taken just one point from a possible 24.
Indeed, they entered that match with some uncertainty about how the season would unfold in terms of classification targets. But they closed the game with a 1-3 scoreline, which served as a release for a team that had been aiming for a promotion fight to La Liga back in February.
After that, they added two more victories against teams in need of points, like Real Zaragoza, whom they beat 1-0 thanks to a header from Alves, and confirmed their winning momentum in León, where Percan sealed the win against Cultural with a stoppage-time goal.
Once past the 50-point mark, Córdoba confirmed its improvement by beating Sporting 3-2 the previous week and again emerging victorious from the Estadio Castalia yesterday, a talismanic venue in the Ania era. It was their fifth consecutive win, and as a curiosity, Castellón also featured in the five-game winning streak in the Primera Federación.
Between November and December 2023, Córdoba climbed to the upper half of the table after consecutive wins against Sanluqueño, Atlético Madrileño, Antequera, and Melilla. Then came Castellón, the dominant force in Group II, and they too were beaten 2-0 at El Arcángel. After that match, they could only manage a draw against Atlético Baleares.
In the second half of the season, Córdoba enjoyed a perfect March that began with a 4-0 victory over Melilla. They then beat Antequera, Baleares, Castellón again (after an incredible comeback), and San Fernando. The following week, they drew 2-2 in a match they had led 2-0, ending the streak.
Córdoba CF: Passes and failures from Córdoba in Castalia: ‘zero’ fear returns
Ania: “Our confidence is sky-high, and I understand that people can get excited.”
That means Iván Ania faces the chance to break a record on the Córdoba bench next Sunday at 6:30 PM if they can beat Granada. He personally knows what it’s like to win seven consecutive matches, having done so with Racing de Santander during the start of the second half of the 2018-19 season, which ended in promotion to Segunda. Now, Ania aims to surpass himself.