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0-2: League leaders

RCD Espanyol win on the road at Cartagena and go top of the second division

RCD Espanyol earned a 2-0 win away from home against Cartagena on Thursday night.

A midweek matchday took Luis García’s side down to Murcia and the Estadio Cartagonova. Knowing that they could go top of the second tier with a win, Espanyol were wasting no time and almost took the lead inside 31 seconds as Javi Puado fired it over.

The opening goal would come soon enough thanks to Puado, who played it perfectly into Pere Milla to tuck it home for his second goal in a matter of days. A comfortable first half was not without its opportunities for the opposition, but Espanyol had enough control to go into half-time ahead.

The second half did not take long to burst into life: first Martin Braithwaite came agonisingly close with a bicycle kick, then Cartagena had their best chance so far as Úmaro Embaló’s effort came off the frame of the goal.  

With the hosts bottom of the league and behind at home, they showed no shortage of fight and were certainly not out of it. It became less comfortable for Espanyol and they found themselves having to really grind out their performance to keep Cartagena at bay.

Though they had regained control the Mágico were not done yet, and a late burst from Ramon Ramos meant he could square it to Braithwaite who found the back of the net to seal the three points. Another win, another clean sheet and a result which sees Espanyol go top of the league, as they wrapped up a commanding performance away from home.