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2-0: What fun!
Espanyol overcomes Valencia in a perfect match for the blue and whites
It could not go better. Espanyol 2018-2019 premiered at home with a spectacular victory against a rival of Champions like Valencia that only disturbed in the early stages. With very clear ideas, a cheerful and offensive game, the team led by Joan Francesc Ferrer 'Rubi' obtained a well deserved victory. The goals of Granero and Borja Iglesias were the culmination of a spectacular work by all players
Espanyol’s Joan Francesc Ferrer 'Rubi' was released at home after an optimistic preseason and the good point achieved in Vigo. The white and blue faced the visit of Valencia with few novelties, but much illusion. The coach, who gave entry to Sergio Garcia and Granero in the lineup, has made his philosophy very clear and opted for a clearly offensive eleven against an opponent called to fight with the best.
Valencia came out better on the pitch, with clearer, dominating ideas. Those of Marcelino, who this season return to play the Champions League, wanted to make mark the differences from the start. The visitors were not going to give a whit to Espanyol that has started the course with renewed hopes, especially thanks to Rubi's ambitious speech. Espanyol suffered in the initial minutes. Valencia arrived with enough assiduity and clarity to the espanyolista’s box, but, fortunately, the locals resisted and overcame the most complicated phase of the encounter with a lot of effort.
It was intoning the Espanyol. Without success in the strategy plays, Rubi's were improving in the game. From the initial inaccuracies to a more precise and vertical football. Sergio García gave mobility to the attack and, little by little, began to open gaps in the visitors defence. The Catalan had the best opportunity in the first half with a header that crashed into the crossbar. The rejection was attempted by Borja Iglesias, but he found a spectacular Neto. The scorer of the first day Mario Hermoso threatened with a distant shot that Neto caught in two times. Espanyol finished very well the first time with the only goal.
Espanyol gave continuity to the good image offered in the first half and carried on to be a cheerful team, brazen and offensive but also their moment of haste in a play in which Granero avoided the visiting goal on the same goal line. The white and blue team continued to seek the goal insistently. Baptistao, on his birthday, was very participative and generated many of the blue and white danger chances. So much insistence had to have his prize even if it was with a little emotion and uncertainty. Granero, as he did before Villarreal, masterfully threw a foul on the edge of the area to overtake the locals. Delayed by the relevant checks, the RCDE Stadium celebrated its first goal of the season.
One of the doubts was to see how the team would react. Without a doubt. Far from being satisfied with the advantage in the score, the Rubi decided to go for the second. Leo Baptistao went ahead to Piccini and although he could not finish his action, Borja Iglesias appeared to extend the advantage. The Galician striker, who did not stop running and fighting, found his deserved prize. The stadium vibrated with his team that was deservedly beating a rival of great importance. Cornellà-El Prat finished delivered to his team and wanting to repeat.