In their latest encounter in La Liga, Espanyol clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory against Sevilla. The match, played on Monday, showcased a fierce contest as the hosts got off to a strong start with goals from Pere Milla (47’) and Roberto Fernández (38’), despite an own goal from Leandro Cabrera (42’) that momentarily put Sevilla back in the game.
Sevilla had their chances but struggled with accuracy, dominating the shot count with 18 attempts, 12 of which were on target; however, they were unable to convert those opportunities into goals, with one shot hitting the post and five going wide.
Marko Dmitrovic was a standout performer for Espanyol, making crucial saves that kept his team in the lead. He recorded four saves and completed 11 successful passes during the match. Pere Milla also shone on the field, scoring once, completing nine accurate passes, and taking two shots.
Edu Expósito impressed the crowd with a slick nutmeg past Sevilla’s Batista Mendy just before halftime (44’).
José González Álvarez set up his team in a 4-5-1 formation, with Dmitrovic in goal, supported by Omar el Hilali, Fernando Calero, Cabrera, and Carlos Romero in defense. The midfield was bolstered by Urko Gonzalez, Edu Expósito, Tyrhys Dolan, Ramón Terrats, and Pere Milla, while Kike García led the attack.
On the other side, Matías Almeyda’s Sevilla also fielded a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Odysseas Vlachodimos in goal and a defensive line of Juanlu Sánchez, Andrés Castrín, Marcão, and Gabriel Suazo. The midfield was comprised of Djibril Sow, Batista Mendy, Adnan Januzaj, Peque Fernández, and Ruben Vargas, with Akor Adams at the forefront.
Referee Miguel Sesma Espinosa maintained control throughout a fiercely contested match.
In their upcoming fixture, Espanyol will visit Celta, while Sevilla will take on their fierce rivals Betis in the eagerly awaited Derby de Sevilla.
With this victory, Espanyol ascends to sixth place in the league with 21 points, while Sevilla remains in eleventh with 16 points.
Substitutions for Espanyol
61’ – Edu Expósito out for Pol Lozano; Ramón Terrats out for Roberto Fernández.
73’ – Pere Milla out for Charles Pickel; Kike García out for Jofre Carreras.
87’ – Tyrhys Dolan out for Antoniu Roca.
Yellow Cards for Espanyol:
47’ – Edu Expósito (Unsporting behavior), 70’ – Pere Milla (Repetitive fouls), 84’ – Roberto Fernández (Removing shirt), 51’ – Pol Lozano (Unsporting behavior).
Substitutions for Sevilla
33’ – Adnan Januzaj out for Chidera Ejuke.
53’ – Ruben Vargas out for Alfon González.
70’ – Djibril Sow out for Lucien Agoumé; Batista Mendy out for Nemanja Gudelj.
Yellow Card for Sevilla:
48’ – Andrés Castrín (Holding opponent to prevent advance).