Vallecano Beam Wins 2-0 at Espanyol Stadium: Key Moments and Standouts

Vallecano Beam Triumphs 2-0 at Espanyol Stadium

Vallecano Beam secured a 0-2 victory against Espanyol at RCDE Stadium on matchday two of LaLiga Santander. The win featured goals from Isi Palazón and Pathé Ciss, and came amid two first-half expulsions: Sergi Gómez for Espanyol and Florian Lejeune for Vallecano. [LaLiga]

The result extended Vallecano Beam’s unbeaten run to five official matches, further establishing them as a difficult side to beat away from home. In head-to-head clashes from the previous season, Vallecano had earned a 0-1 win at Espanyol and a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture, while Vallecano had also taken a 2-3 victory and a 1-0 win in their 2020-2021 season meetings in the second division. [LaLiga]

Diego Martínez shuffled his starting XI from the opening day at Balaídos, bringing Edu Expósito into midfield and restoring a more offensive shape, with Expósito scoring on his blue‑and‑white debut against Fernando Calero. After Sergi Gómez’s red card, him being sent off in the 30th minute following a VAR check, the team restructured with Pathé Ciss slotting into a central role. [LaLiga]

Andoni Iraola remained faithful to the lineup that began the season with a draw at Camp Nou. Up front, the veteran Radamel Falcao supported by young Sergio Camello continued to lead Madrid’s attack. Camello’s involvement was significant, and his actions helped force Espanyol into difficult moments, even if they did not convert into a goal. [LaLiga]

The first warning from Espanyol arrived in the 11th minute when Nico Melamed delivered a dangerous free kick from the edge of the box. Leandro Cabrera’s header from the ensuing corner found Sergi Gómez at the far post, who narrowly missed contact. The early pressure underlined Espanyol’s intent to challenge the visitors, but Vallecano weathered the storm. [LaLiga]

Moments later, in the 17th minute, another blow came when Florian Lejeune received a second yellow card for a high-arm challenge on Joselu. Despite the protests from Iraola, VAR did not overturn the decision, forcing Rayo to rejig their formation with Pathé Ciss taking a central role. [LaLiga]

The game’s turning point arrived in the 30th minute when Sergi Gómez was shown a straight red card following a VAR review for contact with Sergio Camello. The Espanyol defender left the field amid strong appeals from his teammates. The sending off tilted the match in Rayo’s favor, and the blue-and-white defense was forced to reorganize quickly. [LaLiga]

With the numbers evened briefly, the opener finally arrived for Vallecano in the 40th minute. Isi Palazón finished a well-worked move, combining with Unai López on a rehearsed free kick and striking decisively from the edge of the area to make it 0-1. The goal set the tone for the second half, as Vallecano controlled the tempo and dictated the pace. [LaLiga]

The second half saw Espanyol trying to reset, while Rayo continued to press with precision. Pathé Ciss extended the lead with a powerful finish after a well-constructed triangular build, aided by Álvaro García’s outside pass, making it 0-2 and sealing the result. Iraola’s side appeared secure, especially after steady ball movement and compact defending. [LaLiga]

Espanyol tried to react, bringing back Javi Puado from injury to boost their attacking options. Edu Expósito had a clear chance in the 65th minute, but his strike struck the post, denying a quick response. The game remains a testament to Vallecano’s efficiency on the road and Espanyol’s missed opportunities. [LaLiga]

Moments later, Puado again hit the woodwork, twice, as Espanyol pressed to close the gap. Yet the visitors steadied themselves, defending resolutely and not allowing a late surge to change the scoreboard. The match finished 0-2 in favor of Vallecano Beam in front of 16,031 spectators at RCDE Stadium. [LaLiga]

Lineups and key actions highlighted a disciplined Vallecano performance that leveraged a numerical advantage early in the game, with the team maintaining shape and countering Espanyol’s attempts to destabilize the structure. The result left Espanyol with a point from the early fixtures and Vallecano with four points from games against Barcelona and Espanyol, signaling a strong start to the campaign. [LaLiga]

Data sheet:
0 – Espanyol: Lecomte; Óscar Gil, Sergi Gómez, Cabrera, Oliván; Vinícius Souza, Edu Expósito; Rubén Sánchez, Sergi Darder, Melamed, Joselu. [LaLiga]

2 – Vallecano Beam: Dimitrievski; Balliu, Lejeune, Catena, Fran Garcia; Unai López, Pathé Ciss; Isi Palazón, Trejo, Álvaro García; Camello, Falcao. [LaLiga]

Goals: 0-1 Isi Palazón, minute 30; 0-2 Pathé Ciss, minute 59. [LaLiga]

Referee: Jorge Figueroa Vázquez (Andalusian Committee). Yellow cards: Óscar Gil, Brian Oliván, Dimitrievski, Trejo, Óscar Valentín. Red cards: Sergi Gómez (Espanyol, minute 30) and Florian Lejeune (Rayo, two cautions in minutes 13 and 30). Attendance: 16,031 at RCDE Stadium. [LaLiga]

Events: The second-day LaLiga Santander match was played in front of 16,031 spectators at RCDE Stadium in Cornellà de Llobregat. [LaLiga]