Espanyol and Valencia staged a dramatic 2-2 draw at the RCDE Stadium, with the final twist coming in stoppage time. A misjudgment by Álvaro Fernández allowed a late lob from Generous to slip past him, sealing a share of the points for Espanyol in front of their home supporters.
The Blue and Whites celebrated their first home win attempt of the campaign, energizing the crowd after Paulista opened proceedings with a first-half goal in the 53rd minute. Joselu answered quickly for Espanyol in the 55th, and Darder joined the scoring spree by finding the net again in the 58th minute, before completing a decisive return in the 85th minute. Valencia, however, did not lie down, with Marcos André and Braithwaite orchestrating a dramatic late fightback that reshaped the outcome.
From the opening moments, Espanyol pressed aggressively, trying to pin Valencia back and deny space. The host manager Diego Martínez had been vocal about intent to curb the visitors’ attacking rhythm, yet Gattuso’s squad eventually discovered moments to bypass the high-intensity approach and create meaningful chances of their own.
In the first ten minutes Valencia issued two stern warnings and clashed with physical momentum. A Cavani header slipped wide, and Samuel Lino found himself one-on-one with the keeper, only to be denied on two separate occasions. Braithwaite also tested the defense, with Mamardashvili making a sharp save as the tempo rose. The early exchanges were frantic, with both sides trading hits and the ball circulating in midfield and attacking zones in a game that felt like a high-stakes chess match.
By the 16th minute Espanyol had responded to the pressure with composed distribution, while Valencia continued to assert themselves with sharper attacking lines. The pace remained intense, and the texture of the match shifted quickly from breathless to measured at various intervals. Valencia controlled more of the ball and looked to enforce their plan, while Espanyol sought quick transitions to exploit space behind the press.
The second half opened with a moment of controversy. Espanyol claimed a handball in the area involving Correia, but VAR did not award a penalty, leaving the decision in the air as play continued. Valencia then seized a moment of opportunity on a set piece in the 53rd minute, catching the hosts by surprise and breaking the deadlock with Paulista directing the ball into the net from close range.
Espanyol did not remain daunted. The equalizer arrived in rapid fashion when Joselu struck from a tight angle after a sharp crossover with Darder, leveling the score in the 55th minute. The home side surged forward again and took the lead at 2-1 when Darder drove forward from the edge of the area and fired past the keeper in the 58th minute, drawing the stands into a wave of optimism for a late knockout.
The game’s momentum swung multiple times. Valencia pressed for a response and found it again late in the game as Marcos André headed home in the 84th minute, followed by Braithwaite’s finish just a few moments later, setting up a dramatic finale. Espanyol’s response was textbook resilience: Álvaro Fernández made a reflex save, but the high-pressure finish kept the drama alive until the dying seconds.
Gattuso pushed for a late rally by introducing Hugo Duro, aiming for an immediate impact. A red card for Marcos André in the 84th minute complicated Valencia’s plans, and Braithwaite’s late dismissal further tipped the scale toward Espanyol, though the goalkeeper’s misread in stoppage time allowed Generous to equalize. The final whistle arrived with the scoreline unchanged at 2-2 after Générous’ speculative strike beat the keeper in a moment of misjudgment and misreading of trajectory.
The whistle after 96 minutes confirmed a memorable stalemate that left both teams with a point apiece. The match, played before a crowd of 19,766 at the RCDE Stadium, underscored the volatility of La Liga and the fine margins that decide outcomes in the closing stages of a contest.
Data sheet: 2 – RCD Espanyol: Alvaro Fernandez; Sergi Gómez, Cabrera, Calero (Melamed, min.74), Oliván; Vini Souza (Simo, min.87), Edu Expósito (Baré, min.62), Darder (Pol Lozano, min.87); Puado (Aleix Vidal, min.46), Braithwaite and Joselu. 2 – Valencia CF: Mamardashvili; Correia, Paulista (Generous, min. 73), Diakhaby, Gayà; Guillamón, Ilaix (Hugo Duro, min. 84), Almeida (Nico, min. 73); Castillejo (Kluivert, min.46), Lino and Cavani (Marcos André, min.73).
Events: Match of the seventh day of LaLiga Santander, played in front of 19,766 spectators at the RCDE Stadium. Referee: Pizarro Gómez (Madrid committee). Marcos André (min.84) and Braithwaite (min.92) found the back of the net for Valencia, while Darder (min.58) warned Oliván (min.76) and Diakhaby (min.98) of Espanyol’s urgency. A pivotal moment of the match was Generous’s stoppage-time strike against the hosts’ keeper, sealing the final scoreline of 2-2. The clash showcased the competitiveness of both sides and the need for precision at both ends of the field, with the contest ending in a draw that felt more like a tactical victory for Espanyol and a learning step for Valencia. Source attribution: LaLiga.
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