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4-1: Goal festival
Espanyol says goodbye to the RCDE Stadium with a comfortable victory
Purpose fulfilled. Espanyol wanted to finish the season well and achieved it after beating Málaga very comfortably. The blue and whites only needed 30 minutes to decant in their favour the game thanks to the goals of the trident formed by Gerard, Sergio García and Leo Baptistao. The ‘espanyolista’ side, which has added 10 of the last 12 possible points, continues to a high level in this final section of the season.
Driven by the positive dynamics since the arrival of David Gallego to the blue and white bench, Espanyol left willing to offer a good football show in the last game of the season at the RCDE Stadium. Released from all the pressure and with a dose of extra confidence, the espanyolista team completed a first half hour of luxury. The players seem comfortable with football ideas. The Catalan coach has recalled on several occasions that he has not had too much time to work tactically, but the reality is that his concepts are percolating in the dressing room.
The players perfectly interpreted the advantages and superiorities and dizzy to a Málaga that could not find a way to stop his rival. With Gerard Moreno again in stellar plan, the players were associated with intelligence from the initial whistle and soon the first goal of the match came. Gerard took advantage of a good service from Darder and Malaga's defensive mismatch to overcome ex-fellow Andres Prieto. The truth is that Malaga was increasingly putting less resistance and Espanyol, however, felt more comfortable on the pitch. The superiority of the premises was reflected in the goals of Sergio García and Leo Baptistao. With this much, by the way, the Brazilian improves his scoring record in the First Division.
Those of David Gallego gave a truce after 30 minutes of good football, opportunities and goals, a lot of goals. Málaga, descended for weeks, found a penalty by hand of Naldo very similar to David López against Las Palmas. Curious data. Adrián deceived Diego López, who started two months after his clash with Sadiku at the Ciutat de Valencia. The Galician goalkeeper showed off before the break in a shot from Isaac that could have meant the second visitor goal.
With everything decided, in the second part Málaga tried to take a step forward. The improvement of the visitors coincided with the minutes of relaxation of the Blue and Whites. In this context came the best opportunities visitors but without incidence on the scoreboard. Espanyol was not as bright as in the first half, but with very little was able to create danger. Naldo and Piatti did not hit in a cross from the left of Gerard although the clearest chance was a triple shot from Gerard, Piatti and Sergio García taht, incomprehensibly, did not finish in goal.
Espanyol was plugged again in the final minutes thanks to the push of Javi López and the foresight of Gerard. The captain prowled the goal in a couple of internships on the right side like Marc Roca who also tried with the right. The siege had its culmination with the penalty provoked and transformed by Piatti. Goal and final decision to a crash without too much history.