2-2: A draw of slyness
Gerard Moreno signs the tables in the last breath of the match
Celta started brave the game. Aspas and Sisto put speed on the wings while Maxi Gomez waited for anything that fell close to finish on goal. He tried, persevered and found the reward for his work to tie, on the half an hour. But Espanyol had hit first thanks to a great pass of Gerard Moreno that defined Leo Baptistao. 1-1 on the scoreboard.
Crouched, with the lines together and the firm will of the resistance, Espanyol lowered the local revolutions in just 10 minutes. By then he felt comfortable in the field and with the strength to look for the back of the central backs opponents.
The match, however, had tension, speed and intensity. Espanyol did not flinch after the tie. Before the break Gerard signed two other visiting opportunities in which he lacked precision in the final shot.
The second half continued with the expected script: a Celta recognizable in what he wanted and Espanyol that would not surrender. Well positioned, it hoped that his time would come to launch himself in attack. Without surprises. But the scare came in 64, with a header that Diego Lopez stopped on the line and Iago and Maxi Gomez kept pushing to try to sneak into the goal.
Nothing could do the Galician goalkeeper after a centre of Emre Mor to Maxi, omnipresent in all the plays. The Uruguayan striker spined around in the heart of the area to put the 2-1 after a shot bitten.
The game became too rough to Espanyol. The local victory seemed chewed until he appeared. Gerard Moreno. The white and blue '7' dropped a ball on the balcony of the area, control and without thinking he sent an incredible shot to Ruben. Impressive goal to bring a draw to Barcelona.