More tension than football, more nervousness than brilliance. The two best teams in the Second Division (they are first and second) fought a real war with a thousand battles in which, miraculously, the goalkeepers emerged unscathed. They both forgot about the goals, although they both deserved them. Espanyol even had a penalty, but the referee annulled it at the request of the VAR in an inexplicable way. Espanyol adds one point in the leader’s field. Something that would not be bad news if it were not for the fact that it puts the direct promotion position back into play. However, the English average, winning at home and drawing away, has served to put the team in a great position to achieve the objective, which remains intact.
Espanyol had two very important casualties due to the sanctions of Puado and Aguado, sent off with a direct red against Albacete. Manolo González decided that Keidi Bare would enter the double pivot and that the young Gastón Vallés, the miracle man of this team who arrived in January, would form an attacking pair with Braithwaite. In Leganés they have not forgotten the Dane, who lived and played for two years in Butarque, during which time he scored 13 goals in all competitions. The forward was received with insults by the local public, who do not have good memories of him for leaving for Barça in the winter market.
The match was tense. And big. In the atmosphere, deafening in a packed stands, you could breathe the importance of the duel. A victory for the locals gave them half promotion, but they did not change the plan with which they conquered Cornellà, of waiting with a defense of five and going on the counterattack. Their verticality gave them a greater sense of danger and their were the best chances in the first half, especially a header from Diego García that hit the post.
The match lacked rhythm in many phases. Respect was maximum and no one wanted to risk too much. Espanyol’s options were based on pressure after a loss in rival territory that granted them a couple of good finishes, one of them ending with a deflected shot from Braithwaite. In the other, Nico Melamed was knocked down by the goalkeeper in a one-on-one match and the referee awarded a penalty. Incomprehensibly, the VAR called the referee and he rectified his decision as he considered a foul by the blue and white player.
Caution did not disappear in the second act, but Espanyol showed more intention to go for the game. However, throughout the night he lacked the finesse necessary to make the final pass. Melamedm, the most active, tried it with several distant shots that went wide. Little by little the areas gained prominence. Leganés threatened in waves with great danger. Raba had the goal on a Nyom cross, but he could not control the ball. The game gained momentum as the minutes passed. Diego García tested Joan García with a cross shot inside the area. Espanyol responded with a ride from Jofre that left Melamed alone in front of the goalkeeper, but his shot went high, for the umpteenth time. The game was for whoever had a bit of success.
The referee once again took center stage and raised the decibels. He sent off Manolo González, who found no explanation for what happened and Espanyol left the game. The tension increased and no one gave up victory. But in the final minutes the carousel of changes made them both put away their clothes and settle for the point, which serves Leganés more than Espanyol.
