In the 15th round of La Liga, Espanyol emerged victorious on their home turf against Rayo Vallecano at the Cornellá-El Prat Stadium. The only goal of the match came in the 38th minute of the first half, where Roberto Fernández converted a penalty, clinching the win for Espanyol.
Despite Rayo Vallecano dominating possession with 62%, they were unable to convert their superiority into goals and fell short of snatching a victory.
Roberto Fernández was a standout performer, not only scoring the crucial goal but also completing 2 key passes during the match. Defensively, Carlos Romero made a significant impact, recovering 4 balls and effectively clearing 2 dangerous situations.
Espanyol’s manager, José González Álvarez, fielded a 4-5-1 tactical setup with Marko Dmitrovic in goal, supported by Omar el Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, and Carlos Romero in defense. The midfield featured Tyrhys Dolan, Pol Lozano, Urko Gonzalez, Edu Expósito, and Pere Milla, while Roberto Fernández led the attack.
On the other side, Rayo Vallecano, managed by Iñigo Perez, also set up in a 4-5-1 formation. Augusto Batalla guarded the net, with a defensive line comprising Andrei Ratiu, Florian Lejeune, Nobel Mendy, and Pep Chavarría. The midfield consisted of Óscar Valentín, Gerard Gumbau, Isaac Palazón, Unai López, and Fran Pérez, with Jorge de Frutos as the lone striker.
José Sánchez Martínez officiated the match, ensuring orderly conduct throughout the game.
Looking ahead to the next fixtures, Espanyol will travel to face Getafe, while Rayo Vallecano will host Betis in an upcoming match. Following this game, Espanyol currently stands in fifth place in the league with 27 points, whereas Rayo Vallecano is positioned eleventh with 17 points.
Substitutions for Espanyol
55’ 2H – Pol Lozano was replaced by Charles Pickel
79’ 2H – Roberto Fernández made way for Kike García and Edu Expósito was substituted for Ramón Terrats
88’ 2H – Pere Milla was replaced by Rubén Sánchez
Yellow Cards for Espanyol:
30’ 1H – Pol Lozano (Unsporting behavior),
30’ 2H – Urko Gonzalez (Unsporting behavior),
31’ 2H – Tyrhys Dolan (Simulation of a foul)
Red Card for Espanyol:
41’ 2H – Tyrhys Dolan (Second yellow card)
Substitutions for Rayo Vallecano
51’ 2H – Gerard Gumbau was substituted for Sergio Camello
69’ 2H – Fran Pérez was replaced by Iván Balliu and Jorge de Frutos left the field for Álvaro García
85’ 2H – Nobel Mendy was substituted for Randy Nteka
Yellow Cards for Rayo Vallecano:
15’ 1H – Unai López (Holding opponent to prevent advancement),
41’ 1H – Nobel Mendy (Holding opponent to prevent advancement),
4’ 2H – Gerard Gumbau (Unsporting behavior),
17’ 2H – Óscar Valentín (Unsporting behavior),
28’ 2H – Pep Chavarría (Unsporting behavior),
42’ 2H – Augusto Batalla (Unsporting behavior),
50’ 2H – Iván Balliu (Unsporting behavior)
Red Card for Rayo Vallecano:
18’ 2H – Unai López (Second yellow card)