Luis García arrived to prevent football logic from engulfing Espanyol towards the Second Division. And although the Asturian deals with many fronts at the same time and does not have much time, against Betis his team took a step forward to regain hope. A fantastic first half hour was overshadowed by two goals from Betis, much more successful. And the reaction of the second half was not enough to add (3-1). The defeat ended up being the end of the road due to a question of efficiency and specific errors, but Luis García has shown that if Espanyol is relegated, something that the numbers so far support, it is certain that they will do so with greater joy than ever before. throughout the season. Like the musicians on the Titanic, smiling at their fate.
The coach was not intimidated by Villamarín and added another pill of intrepidity with the presence in the eleven of Nico Melamed, eternal revulsion with Diego Martínez. Conditioned by the loss of Óscar Gil and Brian Oliván, he rejected the option of playing with Pierre-Gabriel and formed with three central defenders and a handful of left wingers. He was daring in abundance away from the RCDE Stadium.
The bet was exciting and convincing. For half an hour Espanyol was superior to its rival. Melamed, catalyst in three quarters of the field, was a pleasant element. The youth squad intuited his ownership, his family traveled to Seville to attend the match, and he was able to shine, to get along with Darder, located in the double pivot. It was half an hour to get out of the darkness, in which Espanyol was better than sixth in the League.
But this euro Betis, idling and without Canales, Fekir or Ruibal, among others, is a team with a heartbreaking fang. For this reason, as soon as the physique took its toll on the blue and whites and the spaces appeared behind Vini Souza, he was able to maneuver with ease in the open space that is this Espanyol, an austere team in defensive presence and rich in individual errors, whoever is on the bench.
At that moment, the apparatus for demolition of illusions that this team has become to concede two goals in five minutes was activated. In the first Luiz Henrique, a cunning and skilful winger, left Cabrera behind to assist Ayoze at the far post. In the second, the player from Tenerife himself sat down Rubén Sánchez before giving in to Miranda, who shot from near Pacheco.
At halftime the demons of disappointment reappeared. But Luis García stirred consciences and his team recomposed to show its face again. High forehead and good handwriting. Espanyol began to get the ball out played with daring and solvency, a rare avis in this team. César Montes reduced the distance with a spectacular Chilean kick from a corner and with a stroke of the pen hope seemed intact. He prowled the tie in shots from Joselu and Sergi Gómez. But when he was closer, the final blow from Betis came in another individual error, in this case by Vini Souza, who did not arrive in time to cover a shot from William inside the area. That's where it all ended.
Espanyol's numbers are horrible. It is the LaLiga team that has won the fewest minutes this season and the second most thrashed, with 49 goals conceded. And despite everything, at Villamarín he showed that he embraces hope, that he chooses to believe in Luis García and his courageous proposal. The sixth consecutive defeat, one of the most unfair of the season, plunges the team into the standings, but it shouldn't do so in terms of confidence. Cádiz, next week, will be the real thermometer to know the damage caused
3 - Betis: Rui Silva; Martin Montoya, Luiz Felipe, Edgar, Miranda; Guido, Guarded (Paul, m.89); Luis Henrique, William Carvalho (Joaquín, m.81), Ayoze (Willian José, m.89); Borja Iglesias (Rodri, m.62).
1 - Spanish: Pacheco; Rubén Sánchez (Pierre Gabriel, m.79), Sergi Gómez, César Montes, Cabrera; Darder (Dani Gómez, m.79), Vini De Souza (Keidi Bare, m.79), Nico Melamed (Denis Suárez, m.59); Braithwaite, Joselu, Puado (Pedrosa, d.68).
Quaffle: 1-0, M.27: Ayoze. 2-0, M.34: Miranda. 2-1, M.48: César Montes. 3-1, M.69: William Carvalho.
Referee: Alexander Hernandez Hernandez (Canary Committee). He admonished locals Luiz Felipe (m.15) and Montoya (m.17), and visitors Sergi Gomez (m.38) and Cabrera (m.64).
Incidents: Match of the twenty-ninth day of LaLiga Santander played at Benito Villamarín before 45,313 spectators. A minute of silence was observed for the death of former soccer player Ramón Pérez Mesa 'Espejín', who played for Betis in the 1950s.
