Getafe eliminated Espanyol from the Copa del Rey with a 0-1 victory.
Luis Milla delivered the decisive finish in the 87th minute after a tight, evenly matched affair at the Stage Front Stadium, where the hosts had long known their first league foe for the season and faced a stern test from Espanyol. The game opened with Espanyol showing no signs of shyness, and ten minutes in Braithwaite nearly unsettled Getafe on a swift counterattack. A misstep in the Madrid side’s midfield stalled the move, but Pere Milla’s long ball gave his teammate a chance to beat the goalkeeper David Soria. Gastón was there to block the shot, preserving a 0-0 scoreline as the clock ticked toward halftime.
Getafe, with a lineup featuring several regular starters and a sturdier defensive shape, found it difficult to penetrate through a compact Espanyol defense. The visitors pressed high at times but could not create a clear-cut danger beyond a solitary center that did not translate into a goal. Espanyol, determined not to back down, kept the tempo steady and looked for opportunities to break through the host’s lines. The tension in the arena grew as the clock approached the half-hour mark, with a warning shot from Jofre forcing a reflex save from the Getafe goalkeeper and a swift reply from Bordalás’ side that ultimately cooled in the stands when Cornellà failed to convert a late chance of his own.
As the first half wore on, Getafe upped the pressure. Carmona’s presence and Maksimovic’s header from Diego Rico’s cross tested the Espanyol defense, but the Serbian forward could not connect cleanly. The Azulones sought the advantage before the break, while Espanyol’s last push also came up short, leaving both teams level at the interval.
In the second half, Getafe continued to press, guided by the energetic efforts of Borja Mayoral and Greenwood, one of the standout performers of the night. Ramis responded by reshaping the visiting side, bringing Puado and Salvi into the fray to add attacking options. Espanyol gradually steadied its footing and began to threaten on the counter, with Salvi laying on a key pass that Braithwaite converted to test Soria before Alderete cleared the danger.
The match hovered on a fine line between caution and sudden breaks, with neither side able to sustain a decisive spell. The Caballo of tension persisted at the Proscenium Stadium until the moment Luis Milla generated a breakthrough. After a one-two with Enes Ünal, Milla found the net with precision for Getafe, altering the dynamic of the evening and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
With the clock dwindling, Espanyol pressed forward in search of an equalizer, but the attempt did not materialize. The defeat left Espanyol facing the reality of exiting the Copa del Rey and refocusing on their league duties, while Getafe celebrated a late winner that sealed a 0-1 result and a coveted spot in the competition’s next round.
Data sheet:
0 – Espanyol: Joan García; El Hilali, Sergi Gómez, Calero, Ian Forns (Brian Oliván, min.88); Edu Expósito, Pol Lozano (Keidi Baré, min.88), Aguado (Salvi, min.65), Jofre (Puado, min.65); Pere Milla and Braithwaite.
1 – Getafe: David Soria; Carmona (Óscar Rodríguez, min.46), Alderete, Gastón, Diego Rico (Mitrovic, min.86); Luis Milla, Maksimovic, Juan Iglesias, Greenwood; Lataşa (Ünal, min.65) and the Mayor’s Office.
Goal: 0-1, min.87: Luis Milla.
Referee: García Lozano (Andalusian committee). He warned Óscar Rodríguez (min. 62), Omar El Hilali (min. 75) and Gastón (min. 76).
Events: The match corresponding to the 32nd round of the Copa del Rey was played in front of 15,197 spectators at the Stage Front Stadium.