You have to have faith and desire to get up after dinner with the roscón half swallowed, on a cold Three Kings' afternoon, and go to the Stage Front Stadium to cheer on the team in a war that is not theirs – the Cup is not even a match for them. It doesn't even come to him, his goal is promotion -, against one of the most unpleasantly stingy rivals in Spanish football. Even so, 15,197 parrots supported their footballers in Cornellà-El Prat to push them towards the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. They were left without a prize despite the merits displayed: Luis Milla avoided the surprise with a solitary goal in the 87th minute.
Espanyol appeared on the Stage Front with five new features compared to the team that tied against Burgos at home last season in the Second Division. Ramis changed the goalkeeper, Joan García for Pacheco; He introduced El Hilali and Ian Forns on the sides – who made his debut in the first team at the age of 19 – and introduced Pol Lozano and Jofre in the midfield.
With nothing to lose, and ceding the initiative to the rival, Espanyol grew by moments and gave Getafe a couple of scares by gaining the back of their highly advanced defenses. The first, Braithwaite had an excellent chance when he was left alone against Soria with a through pass from Pere Milla. The Danish striker made a self-pass to beat the goalkeeper, but his shot took him out under the goalposts and Gastón threw himself to the ground (m. 10).
Three minutes later, it was Jofre who hit a shot into Soria's hands in an action in which everyone stood still thinking it was offside...
They liked Espanyol, solid and serious at the back, and looking for quick exits to surprise Getafe. In one of those gallops, Braithwaite won the game against Alderete and enabled Pere Milla, who shot tight to the base of the post. Soria avoided a 1-0 score by sending a corner. It was the second great blue and white opportunity; none from Getafe.
It took more than half an hour (m.33) for the Madrid team to wake up in attack. His first approach was a counterattack by Latasa that sent Greenwood into space. The Englishman won against El Hilali but could not beat Joan García.
Getafe was encouraged, and in the 41st minute they had the best chance, a header from Maksimovic, who sent Diego Rico's center wide.
Before the break, Espanyol still had a third good chance at the feet of Pol Lozano. After a rebound from a corner, El Hilali crossed into the area and Lozano's shot was cleared by Alderete, sending it to a corner.
After the break, Getafe, more vertical, took control of the game to take the offensive initiative without complexes. It was difficult for Espanyol to leave their field, harassed and besieged by the Madrid team that surrounded Joan García's goal. Although without excessive aim.
Espanyol shook off the visitors' pressure, but without managing to worry Soria as in the first half. The entry of Salvi and Puado gave new energy to the blue and white team to arrive with more danger. Bordalás became desperate in the band; His Getafe began to be called by a Second Division again.
Espanyol grew seeing that extra time was approaching. Braithwaite tried to head Pere Milla's cross in the 79th minute, and in the 80th minute the young Puado dared with a long shot that Soria stopped. Hilali galloped down the right wing to test the center... The parakeet team was cornering the 8th placed team in the First Division.
And when Espanyol was playing best, Getafe's goal came. In '87, a combination between Ünal and Milla in the center was completed by the latter beating Joan García low. That's where Espanyol's journey in the Cup ended.
A relief, in any case, because this way the blue and white team will be able to focus on the league, on promotion to First Division, the vital objective of the season.
RCD Espanyol: Joan García; El Hilali, Sergi Gómez, Calero, Ian Forns (Oliván 88); Edu Expósito, Pol Lozano (Bare 88), Aguado (Puado 65), Jofre (Salvi 65); Pere Milla and Braithwaite.
Getafe: David Soria; Carmona (Óscar Rodríguez 46), Alderete, Gastón, Diego Rico (Mitrovic 85); Milla, Maksimovic, Juan Iglesias, Greenwood; Latasa (Ünal 65) and Mayoral.
Referee: Melero Lopez (Andalusia). Yellow cards to visiting coach José Bordalás, Óscar Rodríguez and Gastón, and for Espanyol to El Hilali,
Goal: 0-1 Luis Milla (87).
Field: Stage Front Stadium, Cornellà, 15,197 spectators.
