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2-1: Express comeback

Diop and Caicedo give the victory to Espanyol in a great second half

Espanyol added three important points to ensure permanence after defeating Athletic Club Bilbao in a vibrant match. The away team went ahead on the scoreboard, but the blue and white, after a brilliant start in the second half, turned the result with goals of Diop, HIS first in the league, and Caicedo. Espanyol had to suffer until the end to secure the three points, but it was worth and the team got a vital win before the league break.

Espanyol received in his field to an euphoric Athletic. Ernesto Valverde's team, classified to the quarterfinals of the Europa League and fighting for fifth place, is in a sweet moment, has caught cruising speed and wins their matches almost by inertia. Espanyol knew that the key was to equalize the intensity of the Basques to have goal chances.

Athletic Club was in control of the match at the beginning. Espanyol, with Alvaro and Enzo Roco right in the heart of the defense side, seemed to feel comfortable despite the constant threat of Aduriz, who at 35 years is arguably the best striker in the national championship. Well positioned on the pitch, the home team survived a couple of Athletic’s raids that ended in the hands of Pau López. The game could change in an action where Etxeita held Gerard Moreno. The stopper  grabbed the striker, but the referee did not regarded it as penalty, thus nor the subsequent expulsion of the Bilbao defender. This action had an immediate effect on the game, because in the next visitor attack Eraso scored.

Again, Espanyol was forced to overcome an adverse score. Diop could achieve a tie with a good shot that deflected Iraizoz dramatically and Gerard Moreno was close to the goal in a couple of good approaches. Those of Constantin Galca, gradually, were imposing THEIR opponents and ended the first half locking the visitors in their area but they were not able to exploit any of the corners kicked before half time.

The improvement experienced by Espanyol was confirmed after the restart. Galca’s players started very strong with good approaches to the rival’s area. Iraizoz saved two shots of Marco Asensio and a very dangerous Hernán Pérez. Gerard Moreno, in another sensational action, had the tie in his boots, but his shot went slightly off goal. In five minutes, the espanyolistas managed to embarrass the lions. So insistently they got their reward, oddly enough, in a strategy move. Diop headed in a corner. Virtually no time for reaction, Caicedo finished off a great pass from Gerard, after a stealing by Victor Sanchez, to achieve the second goal.

The match ownership changed again after the goal. Espanyol instructed the tactical order and discipline and defensive solidarity to maintain their advantage on the scoreboard. Espanyol could have closes the match if two good moves by  Caicedo that Abraham failed to score. The final minutes, with a shot of Mamadou that hit the post, were eternal although the team finished certifying three important points and Espanyol left the pitch a little closer to the desired target.