Back

2-2: Late heartbreak

RCD Espanyol held to a draw by a last-minute equaliser from SD Eibar on Friday night

RCD Espanyol were held to a 2-2 draw at home by SD Eibar on Friday night.

Back at the Stage Front Stadium hosting the side just two positions above them, Luis García’s side needed a strong performance to regain some form in LALIGA Hypermotion. It could not have got off to a worse start though, with Eibar taking the lead inside six minutes with the first chance of the game. 

The visitors were on top in the early stages, while Espanyol were being neutralised and unable to test the opposing goalkeeper. Eibar had seemingly doubled their advantage but VAR ruled it out for a tight offside, and soon after Javi Puado had Espanyol’s best chance when his flick was saved by keeper Luca Zidane onto the post.

Puado would not be denied for long, and with his next attempt he fired it home from close range via Jofre Carreras’ cross for the leveller. Espanyol had found a way to go into half-time all square, but would be forced into a premature change early into the second half with Víctor Ruiz pulling up injured.

The game was turned on its head with a sequence of play all too familiar to pericos. Martin Braithwaite was fouled by the keeper to win a penalty for Espanyol, leaving Puado to step up and slot it home as the Mágico turned it around 10 minutes after the restart.  

While Eibar were now trailing, they were not giving up and really pressurising Fernando Pacheco’s goal at this point. The blanquiazul goalkeeper had to be alert and made several saves to keep them out, with his backline equally playing their part.

Espanyol were fighting to hold onto the win and withstood seven minutes of added time at the end of 90 minutes, but with the very last chance, Eibar equalised. A draw which felt like a defeat and a chance missed to return to the automatic promotion spots on Friday night.