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2-1: To the play-off final!

RCD Espanyol Femení overcome SE AEM Femenino to sit 2 games away from the top flight

RCD Espanyol Femení beat SE AEM Femenino 2-1 (4-1 aggregate) on Wednesday to reach the second division play-off final.

After an impressive 2-0 win in the first leg away from home, Juan Ignacio Ibarra’s side were welcomed by a strong crowd at the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque to finish the tie off. It got off to a challenging start though, as visitors AEM scored inside 10 minutes to halve the deficit with most of the game still to play.

Espanyol did settle down after that goal, though faced a resilient defence as they fought to restore their two-goal cushion. Lice Chamorro’s shot from distance was not far off, while Núria Martinez also came close to the equaliser on the night, though they would trail at the break.

Coach Ibarra changed the script at half-time and brought on Ana Hernández and Lucía Vallejo, which immediately paid off.

Lice pursued a deep ball and burst into the box, slotting it past the keeper for a crucial goal for Espanyol. The Mágico wrapped it up with a wonderful finish from substitute Vallejo, who found the ball from the edge of the box and fired it into the roof of the net to seal their place in the play-off final.

Espanyol Femení will face CA Osasuna in the play-off final for a place in the Liga F, the top flight of Spanish women’s football. The first leg will take place at El Sadar on Sunday 12^th May (12pm CEST kick-off), with the return leg at the Dani Jarque on Thursday 16^th May at 7pm CEST.

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Match information

RCD Espanyol: Salvador, Caracas, Simona, Núria (Lucía, 46'), Guerra, Nayadet (Aina, 77'), Carol Marín, Mar Torras, María Lara (Ana Hernández, 46'), Ángeles (Pablos, 67') , Lice (Boatman, 77').

SE AEM Lleida: Laura M., Loba, Chibita (Alba, 63'), Hitomi, Palacios (Aithiara, 77'), Noelia (Vero Rico, 77'), Evelyn, Peñalver, Anita (Cortés, 63'), Elisa (April, 89), Meri.

Referee: Sara Fernández Ceferino.

Bookings: Carol Marín

Goals: 0-1: Loba (9'); 1-1: Lice (56'); 2-1: Lucía (74').

Attendance: 1,200