First against second. The best striker in the League, against the tackler par excellence. A Foreman vs. Ali. But like Superman and Lex Luthor in many of their flirtations, Espanyol found their kryptonite in Leganés, a team so impregnable that they completely overturned the promotion favorite, used to scoring easily. He lost to Espanyol, less mature in the areas and much more splendid in his proposal, and with that he gave up his undefeated at the Stage Front. In passing, the leadership is left there. But this, as Luis García was responsible for reminding in the preview, will be long.
Espanyol was prevented from the most similar to a Primera match that there can be until this day in the Hypermotion League. If Luis García's team boasts of offensive exuberance, Leganés boasts of being a rocky team in defense. The Madrid side have only conceded five goals in eleven matches and are the only team to surpass the goal balance of the parakeets. That is why the most energetic and committed version of Luis García's team appeared this time. And even that wasn't enough to get the game and the result I was hoping for.
Both teams lived too far from the areas, competing for every inch in a tactical battle in which both won small victories. Espanyol commanded more, but it was difficult for him to find spaces inside. Luis García kept Melamed away from the area of action, and only Gragera, who repeated the eleven due to the absence of Lozano, showed that he had the finesse to filter precise passes. Too much ball for Keidi Bare and Pere Milla. And Espanyol was caught in the war that Leganés wanted, ready to close the spaces inside with a five-man defense.
After 20 minutes, Gragera found Pere Milla in the area and after a series of lucky rebounds, the striker managed to finish, but his shot was deflected into the corner by a center back when it was about to be a goal. This was the best occasion and almost the only one for Luis García's team.
Espanyol chewed too much on the plays and this is where his own condemnation came. Errors in delivery due to lack of lucidity led to Leganés' best chances. The clearest in the first half came in added time, when Miguel de la Fuente sat down Calero and his cross was finished twice from the penalty spot. Under the poles they saved first Gragera and then Oliván.
That play was a prelude to the start of the second half, when in another counterattack Raba found De la Fuente on the run. He beat Calero and in the hand to hand took advantage of a Pacheco rejection to send the ball into the goal.
Luis García's changes brought his team closer to the opposition goal. Aguado's presence provided the team with judgment. Their partnership with Melamed was promising. Jofre also offered the overflow outside that the team needed. But the minutes passed and Leganés' craft was more powerful than the offensive capacity of a Spaniard at full performance. On the contrary, Keidi Bare gifted the second to Leganés, who did not know how to put Diego García in.
Braithwaite equalized with two consecutive strikes with ten minutes remaining, but Diego Conde showed why he is the most unbeaten goalkeeper in the competition. This ended the options of a Spanish side who conceded their first defeat at home of the season against a direct rival for promotion.
