JAEN, Spain (Interstat) — In a stunning Copa del Rey Juvenil upset, visiting CD Eldense II defied pregame projections and rode an explosive first-half offensive display to a 3-1 victory over Real Jaen on Wednesday at Nuevo Estadio La Victoria.

The match, a domestic youth fixture in Spain’s prestigious knockout tournament, was anticipated to be a tightly contested affair, with statistical models heavily favoring the home side. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw, while its ELO system gave Real Jaen a commanding 76.30 percent probability of advancing. CD Eldense II dismantled those expectations with ruthless efficiency in the opening 45 minutes.

The visitors established their authority early, finding the net three times before the halftime whistle. The scoring barrage began in the 8th minute when substitute Boston Billups put Eldense II ahead. The lead was doubled just 11 minutes later as another substitute, Marcos Bustillo, capitalized on an opportunity to make it 2-0.

Real Jaen managed a brief response in the 28th minute through forward Mario Martos, cutting the deficit to a single goal and offering the home supporters a glimmer of hope. That hope was extinguished just before the break, however, as Eldense II’s Hamza Bellari, also entering the match as a substitute, restored the two-goal cushion with a strike in the 43rd minute.

The second half failed to produce any additional goals, but was not without incident as both sides saw players cautioned. The physical nature of the contest was reflected in five yellow cards issued by the officiating crew. Alberto Bernardo of Eldense II was booked in the 33rd minute, followed by his teammate Rafael Nuñez in the 43rd. The second half saw cautions for Álex Serradell of Eldense II in the 81st minute, and Real Jaen’s Carlos Jiménez and Rober Ibañez in the 86th and second minute of stoppage time, respectively.

The victory was a testament to the impact of CD Eldense II’s bench, with all three of their goals being scored by second-half entrants. Billups, Bustillo and Bellari provided the decisive offensive firepower, while Nuñez and Bernardo were credited with assists on the plays. For Real Jaen, Martos provided the lone goal, assisted by Alberto Bernardo.

With the result, CD Eldense II opens its campaign in the domestic youth cup with a victory, moving its record in the competition to one win and zero losses. The loss sends Real Jaen to an 0-1 start in the tournament. The records for both teams across all competitions this season now mirror their Copa del Rey Juvenil standing.

The comprehensive nature of the win, particularly in the face of statistical forecasts that heavily favored the opposition, marks a significant and impressive start to the season for CD Eldense II’s youth side. For Real Jaen, the defeat at home represents an early setback in a competition where they were expected to be the dominant force.