# UD Almería football season commencement > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ud-almera-football-season-commencement > Updated: 2026-08-17T21:32:53.000Z. Sources: 14. Developments: 2. UD Almería began its LALIGA HYPERMOTION campaign with preseason preparations and technical training. The club held a traditional floral offering to the Virgin del Mar and conducted educational sessions for players and staff regarding updated refereeing regulations, including new rules for goalkeeper time limits and VAR protocols. Following these preparations, the team debuted under manager García Pimienta with a 3-0 victory against CD Eldense at the UD Almería Stadium. The match, attended by over 15,000 spectators, was largely decided in the first half. Federico Bonini opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a header following a corner kick from Nico Melamed. Stefan Dzodic extended the lead to 2-0 after capitalizing on a set piece assisted by Miguel de la Fuente, and Melamed sealed the win with a long-range strike into the top corner during first-half stoppage time. Under the management of Xavier García Pimienta, Almería controlled possession and maintained a clean sheet. Before the match, the club observed a minute of silence for victims of an earthquake in Colombia and a fire in Los Gallardos. This opening victory places the team in second position in the league standings following the first round. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-17: UD Almería defeats CD Eldense 3-0 in season opener UD Almería secured a convincing 3-0 victory over CD Eldense in their LaLiga Hypermotion season opener, with goals from Bonini, Dzodic, and Melamed. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ud-almera-defeats-cd-eldense-3-0-in-laliga-opener ### 2026-08-11: UD Almería prepares for LALIGA HYPERMOTION season debut UD Almería prepares for the LALIGA HYPERMOTION season through traditional ceremonies, intense training for their upcoming debut against CD Eldense, and briefings on new refereeing regulations. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ud-almera-prepares-for-laliga-hypermotion-season-debut --- Cite as: UD Almería football season commencement. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ud-almera-football-season-commencement