The nightmare continues. Ramis’s Espanyol walks like a crab, which cannot find either the game or the results, adding a solitary victory in the last six days, a balance that is too far from the promotion aspirations that rule in Cornellà. Furthermore, each displacement is a torment, lengthening their terrible dynamics in Elda with a new defeat.
The match already started awry, full of stoppages in its initial stretch, a preview of the temporary torment it would become, with 18 added minutes played in the first half. Unheard. The referee began to discount after Edu Expósito received a blow and had to be treated in the first minute of the game. The one from Cubelles would try but minutes later he asked for a change. As soon as he entered, Jofre Carreras lost a ball on the front line that Iñigo Peña converted into a great filtered pass for Chapela to open the scoring with a cross shot.
Far from spurring Espanyol, the goal left them a little groggy and Eldense threatened with the second. But luck was allied with Ramis’s team, who found the tie after a kilometric throw-in by Brian Oliván that Cabrera combed and ended up in the net after an involuntary touch by Iñigo Peña.
The equalizer somewhat calmed the parakeets, who did not perform very well in attack but at least regained control of the game’s timing somewhat and provided a bit of calm on the field of play. Moments before the fourth referee raised the sign with 13 minutes added – it would end up being 18 –, some star once again decided to align with Espanyol in a penalty by Sergio Ortuño that went unnoticed but that the VAR did not let pass. Braithwaite placed the ball in the net and increased his lead as top scorer in the category (12). Ramis’s team had not done much but once the score was over, his experience, infinitely greater than that of the recently promoted Eldense, should have been enough to calm the spirits and head into the break with an advantage to calmly organize his ideas. Nothing is further from reality. Before the hour mark, still in the first half, Mateu took out his glove to walk from the corner and Chapela, alone at the far post, sealed his double.
Things barely improved in the second half for an Espanyol that was still completely confused. Soberón tested Pacheco’s reflexes as soon as he came out of the locker room. The Spanish goalkeeper emerged victorious, who would soon despair of helplessness when Sergio Ortuño made it 3-2 shortly after, after collecting a ball combed by Iñigo Peña at the near post after another pinpoint cross from Mateu. The set piece sentenced Ramis’s team, unable to get up just having more than half an hour to react. Braithwaite touched the second yellow, bitter at the few balls that reached him.
Espanyol has not won away from Cornellà since October 5, a situation that complicates the possibility of direct promotion each week. The nightmare continues.
3 – Eldense: Álvaro Acebes, Toni Abad, Dumic, Iñigo Piña, Marc Mateu, David Timor (Pedro Capó, min. 90), Sergio Ortuño, Clemente (Cris Montes, min. 90), Álex Bernal (Juanto Ortuño, min. 84), Iván Chapela (Mo Dauda, ??min. 72) and Mario Soberón (Joel Jorquera, min. 84).
2 – RCD Espanyol de Barcelona: Pacheco, Óscar Gil, Sergi Gómez, Cabrera, Oliván, Pol Lozano, Aguado (Keita Balde, min. 56), Sánchez (Keidi Bare, min. 56), Edu Expósito (Jofre, min. 9 ), Pere Milla and Braithwaite.
Goals: 1-0, min. 9: Ivan Chapela. 1-1, min. 19: Iñigo Piña, in his own goal. 1-2, min. 45: Brathwaite, from the penalty spot. 2-2, min. 59: Iván Chapela. 3-2, min. 55: Sergio Ortuño.
Referee: González Esteban (Basque committee). He showed yellow cards to David Timor and Iñigo Piña for Eldense and to Brathwaite and Brian Oliván for Espanyol.
Incidents: Match corresponding to matchday 24 of LaLiga Hypermotion played at the Nuevo Pepico Amat stadium in Elda in front of 5,500 spectators. A minute of silence was held in memory of the Sevilla fans who died while traveling to watch the Atlético de Madrid-Sevilla Copa del Rey match.
