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0-1: Friendly defeat at Pinatar Arena

RCD Espanyol beaten by Torino FC in off-season friendly

RCD Espanyol were beaten 1-0 by Torino FC in a friendly on Saturday.

In the first of two friendlies at the Pinatar Arena, Diego Martínez named his first match lineup in a month, a squad which included B team youngsters Roger Martínez and Abde Damar on the bench.

The blanquiazul defence was called into action early on, with Leandro Cabrera recovering to block an early effort on goal. Edu Expósito fired over from distance before Torino’s Etrit Berisha denied Nico Melamed at the near post.

Joselu had their best chance of the half when his neat shot smashed off the corner of the crossbar. Torino opened the scoring not long after, as Aleksey Miranchuk weaved his way through and buried it into the bottom corner to take the lead before the break.

It remained an even affair in the second half with little to separate the sides, as Espanyol pushed for an equaliser. Expósito blazed over a glaring chance from just outside the box, followed by Joselu’s free kick which was not too far off target.

Torino changed their entire team within the hour, which gave the pericos a chance to seize the momentum with their opponents needing to settle down.

Espanyol had several chances in the space of a few minutes, the best of which being a Simo header saved superbly by goalkeeper Luca Gemello. The Italians held on for the win, in a closely contested match settled by Miranchuk’s first half strike.

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Match information

RCD Espanyol: Á. Fernández (Joan García 46’), Óscar Gil (Omar 73’), S. Gómez (Calero 46’), Cabrera, B. Oliván (Simo 73’), Vini Souza (Abde 79’), K. Bare, Lazo (D. Gómez 59’), Edu Expósito (Roger Martínez 73’), Nico M.R (Aleix V.C 46’), Joselu (Braithwaite 79’).

Torino FC: Berisha (Gemello 61’); Zima (Djidji 46’), Schuurs (N’Guessan 61’), Buongiorno (Antolini 61’); Bayeye (Dembelè 61’), Ricci (Adopo 61’), Ilkhan (Gineitis 61’), Lazaro (Wade 61’); Miranchuk (Seck 61’), Karamoh (Garbett 61’); Sanabria (Caccavo 61’).

Referee: Juan Antonio Campos Salinas

Goals: 0-1 Miranchuk 39’

Bookings: Roger Martínez 82’; Lazaro 44’, Adopo 90’

Attendance: Approx. 100