Leganes beats Espanyol and is almost out of relegation
Cissé, Diomande and Kumbulla scored own goals for the home side, while Cabrera and Pere Milla scored for the blue and whites.
Leganés is clinging to the First Division with tooth and nail. The victory against Espanyol keeps them alive in the fight for survival , while the Blue and Whites still cannot mathematically seal their survival. It seemed that Leganés would have a comfortable victory, taking a 3-0 lead. However, the team collapsed physically in the final minutes and ended up calling time . The Catalans were quick to take anything positive from Butarque.
It wasn’t an easy week for Diomandé . He kept replaying the clear goal-scoring opportunity he missed last week at the Sánchez-Pizjuán against Sevilla. It was a difficult act to digest for an 18-year-old who had just broken into the first team due to the importance it represented for the team. Someone had to speak to him to relieve him of all this responsibility, which he shouldn’t have to bear.
The truth is that Diomande was back in Borja Jiménez’s starting eleven, and the player showed his gratitude for his coach’s confidence by putting in a great performance he won’t soon forget.
The Ivorian found a highway on the left flank that he never tired of exploring again and again, both ways, because while his offensive contribution was outstanding, his defensive commitment was also notable. After his goal, which made it 2-0, he couldn’t hold back his attention and burst into tears.
For Leganés, the match was a final, and that was evident from the first minute . They brought more intensity to the game than their opponents. The Pepineros’ high pressure allowed them to generate an attacking flow that was unknown at Butarque. Espanyol’s attempt to break the ball open led to the first goal. Cissé made just enough touch to take the ball away from Urko, who then passed it to Raba. Cissé sent the ball into the net, putting Leganés ahead.
Ten minutes later , Diomande scored , finishing off a perfect move between Tapia and Dani Raba, after getting past Calero with a bit of luck, as he got the better of the rebound. It was 2-0, which did justice to both teams’ performances.
The second half began with Tapia attempting to surprise Jon García from practically the middle of the field, but it narrowly failed. Espanyol tentatively stretched their attack, and Alejo Veliz almost scored after a good move by Romero . It was a mirage, as Leganés immediately returned to the fray.
There was no shortage of controversy . Alberola Rojas yellow-carded Jon García for a foul outside the penalty area. VAR called the referee to assess a possible red card, and the final decision was to withdraw the yellow card from the Espanyol goalkeeper, understanding that there was no contact.
A free kick taken by Dani Raba ended up in the Espanyol goal after an unfortunate challenge between Jon García and Kumbulla . It seemed like the match was 3-0. However, Espanyol showed their pride and made things difficult for their opponents until the very end. Cabrera reduced the deficit with a header from a corner, and VAR ruled out a goal by Cheddira in the 90th minute for offside. It would have made it 3-2 with the six minutes of added time Alberola Rojas had awarded. The disallowed goal was celebrated by Butarque as if it were their own goal.
The final minutes were a constant siege from Espanyol, with constant attacks and Dmitrovic shining. Pere Milla’s goal in the 97th minute came too late for the visitors, as the center wasn’t even taken, and the referee called time on the game.
