The Catalans faced an early test, but after the break they adjusted their approach and used close, face‑to‑face pressure to carve out goals. A strike by the Chinese forward briefly shook the match, disrupting the rhythm of both sides without allowing a flood of chances to any one team. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
Celta Vigo carried the initiative in the opening leg. At first, Aspas tested Diego López’s reflexes eight minutes in, and Santi Mina forced a save fifteen minutes after the clash. The Galicians pushed forward as the clock moved, staking a claim on the scoreline and reshaping the encounter. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
Espanyol looked to impose their style but found it difficult to translate possession into sustained danger. Raúl de Tomás, a key addition to the starting eleven, found himself isolated at times, while Darder’s creativity failed to break through the visiting defense. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
The first major moment belonged to Majorcan with a well‑timed run and a precise cross, yet his delivery failed to find a finisher after weaving through several defenders. As the half closed, the Blue and Whites nudged ahead on the scoreboard with a goal that sneaked past the awareness of the defense, a slight but telling edge before the break. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
After the restart, Celta shifted its lineup by bringing in Galhardo for Mina, while Espanyol kicked on with sharper intent at the start of the second period. Diego López produced a sharp save to deny Kevin Vázquez from Cabrera’s clever setup, keeping the scores level and the match tense. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
By the 65th minute, Galician attackers looked dangerous with a double chance from Aspas and Cervi as they pressed for the decisive goal. The home defense and López stood firm, staving off the moment and keeping the score intact for the moment. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
Both teams rotated and the tempo rose, with the intensity climbing but clear chances staying scarce. Wu Lei finally found an opportunity in the 83rd minute, only for Dituro to push the ball away and leave Puado to deal with the rebound under pressure. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
In the final minutes Espanyol pressed higher, while Celta waited for the moment to slip through. A swift sequence by Wu Lei saw a shot diverted, but the finish found no net this time as the ball bounced inside the area from Darder and went wide. The drama built as the clock wound down.
Then, in the closing exchanges, Wu Lei exploited space and finished with a precise strike from inside the box to claim the winner in the 89th minute. The lone goal illuminated the RCDE Stadium and sent the Galicians scrambling for a late, risky equalizer. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
The result stood at 1-0, with Espanyol collecting three crucial points at home as Celta Vigo pressed for an answer that never came. The match official, Alberola Rojas from Castilla-La Mancha, issued cautions to Yangel Herrera, Calero, Bare, and Vilhena at various stages, signaling a tightly contested affair. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
The fixture formed part of La Liga Santander’s twenty‑first round, played before a crowd of 18,471 at the RCDE Stadium. The energy was palpable as both teams chased different goals within the same narrow corridor of opportunity, a reminder that small margins often decide big results. [Citation: Match report, La Liga]
Data sheet:
1-Spanish: Diego Lopez; Oscar Gil, Calero, Cabrera, Pedrosa; Keidi Bare (Vilhena, min. 66), Yangel Herrera; Darder, Puado (Aleix Vidal, min. 90), Embarba (Wu Lei, min. 66), and Raúl de Tomás (David López, min. 90).
0-Celtic: Dituro; Kevin Vázquez, Aidoo, Araújo, Javi Galán; Brais Méndez (Solari, min.67), Beltrán, Denis Suárez, Cervi; Aspas and Santi Mina (Galhardo, min.46).
targets: 1-0, min.89: Wu Lei.
Judge: Alberola Rojas (Castilla-La Mancha committee). Yangel Herrera (min.43), Calero (min.45), Bare (min.55), Vilhena (min.81) warned.
events: The match corresponding to the twenty-first day of LaLiga Santander, played in front of 18,471 spectators at the RCDE Stadium.