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3-2: Misfortune
Espanyol looses in Butarque in a game marked by bad luck in defense and attack
Espanyol leaves Butarque with a strange feeling. The team overcame the initial goal of rebound and, when they were playing better than their rival, they took an unexpected blow. Tight as it is the classification in a very disputed intermediate zone, each victory is gold and each point a relief and a stimulus to keep fighting. So things, Espanyol and Leganés came to the game separated by a single point and with distribution of praise in one and another bench after the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, although with different luck for one and another team. Leganés, after overcoming Madrid, wanted to maintain the rising line of their game, while the Catalans, after the last two losses (League and Cup) expected to close with a good taste in the thick month of January full of games. Possibly for that reason, the two managers wanted to offer their best resources and show their virtues from the beginning.
Leganés came out more intense (as expected) and the initial pressure served to show the bad luck that seems to pursue the white and blue squad this season. The first local goal came suddenly, like a slap. A distant kick from Omar ended up bouncing off Diego's post and the ball came back softly to the small area for Zaldúa to shoot again and, after a rebound in Mario Hermoso, that ended up entering. 'Lega' did what they wanted: score early and be comfortable with the score in their favour.
The game entered, then, in a phase in which both teams tended a little more. The locals managed the advantage and continued drowning with their pressure the line of espanyolista creation. On the contrary, Gerard moved well between lines and looked for that oxygen that had not quite arrived. The blue and white intention was translated into a greater presence near the Cuéllar area, but without the necessary luck. Not even in strategy actions. In fact, in the last play of the first half, a dead ball inside the local area was completed by Mario Hermoso and Bustinza took it out spectacularly with his head on the same goal line, collecting the applause of his teammates and the gratitude of the crowd.
The second half began with a header from Víctor Sánchez who came out slightly off target and with a more determined Espanyol to close the goal of Cuéllar. In fact, Marc Navarro looked for the diagonal of the area and, without thinking, threw an impossible shot for the local goal. The 1-1 returned the serenity that Espanyol sought to regain the pulse of the game.
The two coaches began to move the bench to give a boost to the game. Victor had once again had a good header and, shortly after, a Sergio Garcia kick went slightly off target. However, 'Lega' came back to overtake on the scoreboard with a shot that Guerrero caught near the penalty spot. An unexpected blow to the rhythm of the game. Marc Navarro returned to have a new occasion but, this time, his shot ended in the crossbar. But Espanyol was scorched, as was proven in the final minutes. A rebound in the referee caused a local counter with Amrabat's final center. Mario Hermoso, in his attempt to clear, ended up placing the 3-1. Fortunately for him, just a few minutes later, the young blue and white central placed the final 3-2 to take advantage of a side fault.
3-2: Misfortune
Espanyol looses in Butarque in a game marked by bad luck in defense and attack
Espanyol leaves Butarque with a strange feeling. The team overcame the initial goal of rebound and, when they were playing better than their rival, they took an unexpected blow. Tight as it is the classification in a very disputed intermediate zone, each victory is gold and each point a relief and a stimulus to keep fighting. So things, Espanyol and Leganés came to the game separated by a single point and with distribution of praise in one and another bench after the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, although with different luck for one and another team. Leganés, after overcoming Madrid, wanted to maintain the rising line of their game, while the Catalans, after the last two losses (League and Cup) expected to close with a good taste in the thick month of January full of games. Possibly for that reason, the two managers wanted to offer their best resources and show their virtues from the beginning.
Leganés came out more intense (as expected) and the initial pressure served to show the bad luck that seems to pursue the white and blue squad this season. The first local goal came suddenly, like a slap. A distant kick from Omar ended up bouncing off Diego's post and the ball came back softly to the small area for Zaldúa to shoot again and, after a rebound in Mario Hermoso, that ended up entering. 'Lega' did what they wanted: score early and be comfortable with the score in their favour.
The game entered, then, in a phase in which both teams tended a little more. The locals managed the advantage and continued drowning with their pressure the line of espanyolista creation. On the contrary, Gerard moved well between lines and looked for that oxygen that had not quite arrived. The blue and white intention was translated into a greater presence near the Cuéllar area, but without the necessary luck. Not even in strategy actions. In fact, in the last play of the first half, a dead ball inside the local area was completed by Mario Hermoso and Bustinza took it out spectacularly with his head on the same goal line, collecting the applause of his teammates and the gratitude of the crowd.
The second half began with a header from Víctor Sánchez who came out slightly off target and with a more determined Espanyol to close the goal of Cuéllar. In fact, Marc Navarro looked for the diagonal of the area and, without thinking, threw an impossible shot for the local goal. The 1-1 returned the serenity that Espanyol sought to regain the pulse of the game.
The two coaches began to move the bench to give a boost to the game. Victor had once again had a good header and, shortly after, a Sergio Garcia kick went slightly off target. However, 'Lega' came back to overtake on the scoreboard with a shot that Guerrero caught near the penalty spot. An unexpected blow to the rhythm of the game. Marc Navarro returned to have a new occasion but, this time, his shot ended in the crossbar. But Espanyol was scorched, as was proven in the final minutes. A rebound in the referee caused a local counter with Amrabat's final center. Mario Hermoso, in his attempt to clear, ended up placing the 3-1. Fortunately for him, just a few minutes later, the young blue and white central placed the final 3-2 to take advantage of a side fault.