ESB 1:0 CVG | RCD Espanyol Barcelona - Celta de Vigo (LaLiga)

LaLiga

Valladolid – Mallorca	3:1 (end)	\|	Espanyol – Celta Vigo	1:0 (end)	\|	Osasuna – Real	0:0 (end)
Valencia – Sevilla	2:0 (end)

final

RCD Espanyol Barcelona

1:0 (1:0)

Celta de Vigo

Saturday 12.01.2013, 17:00 • LaLiga

		Vital win for Espanyol Barcelona against guests who did never invest enough to force the equalizer. In the end Espanyol wanted to make their third change but they preffered to let the clock run out. Now both teams - Espanyol and Celta - are levelled with 18 points in the Primera División table. For Espanyol it was the second consecutive win at home and the 5th unbeaten game in the last 6 ties. Celta lost with the minimum score of 0-1 in 4 of their last 5 league matches. Thanks for following the game with us. For the coverage of other sports events have a look at our schedule. (19:53:10)
		Game over.
	90+4	The four minutes of additional time are over and Casilla has the ball.
	90+4	Longo with a nice dribbling in the Celta half and then he gives the pass to a team colleague whose shot is stopped easily by the goalkeeper.
	90+3	Longo just runs into three defenders and the Espanyol chance is gone at the guest area.
	90+2	The hosts are keeping the ball between themselves to take some time down from the clock.
	90	Four minutes are added to the game.
	90	Excellent run by Víctor Sánchez through the whole Celta half, then he gives the through ball to Alfonso but the substitute's shot goes wide!!
	89	Short pass by the hosts at the left outside lane and Capdevila with a dive to force a free kick but the referee lets the game continue.
	88	Sergio García with his feet directly behind the center line but his body leaned over it and his counter is stopped due to offside.
	87	Big counter attack for Espanyol but the last pass goes wide and the chance is gone!
	85	A free kick cross by Espanyol ends with an offside situation...
	84	Longo is in for Simao for the last minutes - second change for Espanyol.
	84	Colotto with a check against Varas at the six-yard box and he sees a yellow card.
	83	The corner was caught at the penalty point by Varas.
	83	Long ball towards Sergio García and he forces a corner for his team.
	82	Roberto Lago with a long cross prom the left half field that ends up out of the pitch...
	81	Iago Aspas just into the wall for a Celta corner from the right side.
	81	On the other side a Celta forward goes down for a good free kick position.
	80	Sergio García with the dribbling into the Celta area and then he sees no chance against two defenders at once and just makes a dive...
	78	Park with his arms against Javi López but the Espanyol defender acts as if he was elbowed - not in his dreams.
	77	Verdú who did a good job today and worked hard is out for Alfonso - first Espanyol change.
	75	The corner was headed just against the side netting from five metres only at the first post by Aspas!
	75	A nice cross from the left wing misses the Celta forward but at least he wins a corner from the rights ide.
	74	Iago with a great run over the left wing but a defender stops him in the end.
	73	Korean Park gets in for the last 20 minutes for Mario Bermejo. Celta used all three options for a change already.
	72	Forlín wins the tackle and his header goes just wide from 5 metres only - how close that was! But the referee gives Celta a free kick due to a little push by Forlín.
	72	In the last moment a Celta defender clears at cost of an Espanyol corner from the right side.
	71	Free kick cross by Espanyol from the left side and all players in the Celta area miss the ball.
	70	Corner by Espanyol from the right side, boxed away by guest goalkeeper Varas.
	69	Danish international Krohn-Dehli leeaves the pitch for youngster Toni - second change by Celta.
	67	Espanyol midfielder Baena sees the next yellow card for a foul.
	66	Fast attack by the Galicians. Aspas with a header from within the area that goes wide uncontrolled.
	65	Simao gets booked for waiting too long during a free kick from the half field.
	64	A cross from the right lane by Stuani is far too high and the chance is gone.
	63	Almost a guest forward reaches the ball alone in front of Casilla but the ball bounces to the side and the chance is gone!
	63	Sergio García with a shot from the guest area but it is stopped early.
	61	A through ball by Celta is just intercepted by an Espanyol defender int he host area.
	60	Another Celta corner stays without effect.
	59	Enrique de Lucas entered the match for Augusto Fernández.
	58	Counter for Espanyol but in the midfield Sergio García is stopped by a defender.
	58	Very nice cross by Krohn-Dehli and in the last moment the ball is cleared for another corner.
	57	Cross by Johny but Simao clears at cost of a corner.
	56	Bad clearance by the Celta defense but Sergio García can't controll the ball at the left lane and it goes out.
	55	Ball won by Sergio García but at the right outside lane the Espanyol forward is stopped by the last man.
	53	Good free kick position for the guests. Iago Aspas with the directy try and the ball goes wide only by inches next to the right post - seen by the shooter!
	52	Baena with a hard foul from behind, also in the midfield but no card.
	51	The corner comes down directly in front of the goal line but the referee gives a foul and Celta can clear the situation!
	50	Free kick cross towards the penalty point and an Espanyol forward heads the ball towards the goal but great save by Varas!
	50	Next harder entry in the midfield, the game is getting a bit emotional right now.
	49	A nice Celta combination ends at the Espanyol area after one of the forwards is pushed to the ground but no break here.
	48	After a free kick cross Iago Aspas heads the ball wide close to the six-yard box.
	47	Víctor Sánchez with a tackle in the midfield, yellow card for Espanyol.
	47	First ball into the home side's area but it is cleared immediately.
	46	Start of 2nd half.
		The players are returning to the pitch.
		The first half just ended with a deserved 1-0 lead for Espanyol in a rather disappointing bottom match against Celta de Vigo. Celta had only one real chance while Espanyol had three and used on of them!
		1st halftime finished.
	45+1	A lob into the Celta area is just cleared away by the guest defense.
	45+1	Shot by Celta from the second row but not very well-placed...
	45	One minute is added to the first half.
	45	The Espanyol fans want a penalty shot as they claim one of their players to have been pushed but the referee lets the game continue.
	44	First Sergio García tries it with a direct shot but can't reach the through ball, then Stuani at the second post takes a high cross with a volley that goes over the crossbar! What a chance!
	43	Cross by Fernández from the right corner of the six-yard box into the arms of Casilla - that was close as two forwards stood free behind the goalkeeper.
	41	Bermejo lobs the ball against the arm of Krohn-Dehli and Espanyol gets a free kick in the midfield.
	40	After a long time the next shot on goal, for Espanyol. It was blocked though 25 metres in front of the Celta net and no problem for Varas.
	38	A lot of pressing by both teams in the midfield, they don't want to waste a single metre and it is an up-and-down.
	37	Direct shot by Celta when the ball was passed back to the penalty point but blocked by the defense.
	36	Nothing big happening right now. Espanyol tries it with a shot within the Celta half but it is directly blocked.
	34	Cross by Johny from the right wing but easyly headed out by Colotto.
	34	The guests are trying to take over the initiative but no way by now for them. Espanyol with a very calm defense so far.
	32	Misdirected pass by Celta in the midfield and Álex López takes the tactical foul from the side - first yellow card for the guests.
	30	Javi López with a foul from behind with both legs first in the midfield, gets a deserved yellow card - the second for Espanyol.
	28	Víctor Sánchez almost reaches a ball at the right outside lane at height of the midfield but the ball goes out.
	27	Distance shot by Krohn-Dehli but the ball goes past the right post - from the shooter - about two metres.
	26	The corner came dangerously to the first post but was cleared. Then The Espanyol player on the right wing wasn't early enough out of the offside.
	26	Very nice turn by Sergio García in the Celta area and in the end he eans a corner from the right side.
	24	Goal for Espanyol! After a flat pass from the right side of the Celta area by Verdu, SEGIO GARCIA is there just one metre in front of the net and pushes the ball over the goal line for the not undeserved home lead!
	23	Free kick cross by Espanyol from the left half field into the arms of Varas.
	22	Long cross after the corner but no Espanyol forward can reach the ball.
	21	Corner for Espanyol from the left side. It has been executed fast for another corner from the same side.
	20	Stuani steals the ball from a Celta defender at the guest area, lays the ball back to the penalty point but Verdú, standing completely free, doesn't hit the ball really well and the chance is gone!
	19	Sergio García earns a free kick from the right half field for the hosts after he was pushed from behind close to the midfield. The following cross goes behind the net for a goal kick.
	18	An Espanyol forward is throug at the left lane but the referee calls the situation and the attack is over.
	16	The following corner was headed out of the six-yard box by a defender of the home side.
	15	A cross is headed towards the goal by Iago Aspas and almost ends in the Espanyol net but Casilla is there with one hand! Best chance of the game!
	14	Forlín gets the first yellow card of the game. In the midfield he kicks his opponent into the stomach.
	14	Two Espanyol crosses are headed out by the defense and then a shot within the area is blocked.
	13	Borja Oubiña gets the ball at the first corner but his shot goes over the crossbar.
	12	Nice combination by the guests over the right end side and it earns them a first corner.
	11	Heavy entry in the midfield against a Celta player but the referee doesn't give a free kick.
	10	A Celta cross from the left outside lane by Roberto Lago but the goalkeeper catches the ball.
	9	Attack by Espanyol over the left outside lane through Simao but he just stood a bit in the offside.
	8	A lot of passing in the midfield before Capdevila shots the puck out of the pitch.
	6	Another foul by Celta, this time 25 metres in front of their goal but the referee gives advantage Espanyol and later the guests can clear the situation.
	5	Baena wins a free kick in the midfield but actually it was vice versa.
	4	After trying to calm down the game another long ball by Espanyol is far too long and is caught by the guest goalkeeper.
	3	Aspas against two defenders, runs, runs and at the Espanyol area his shot goes wide.
	2	Nice through ball by the hosts but a defender is in between in the last moment at the guest area. Then comes the first shot on goal by Espanyol but into the arms of Varas.
	2	A lot of ball possession already for Espanyol. Their first long pass ends up in the feet of the guest defense.
	1	Game started.
		Starting lineups: Espanyol Barcelona: Casilla - J. López, Forlín, Colotto, Capdevila - V. Sánchez, Baena - S. García, Verdú, Simao - Stuani Celta de Vigo: Varas - Lago, Demidov, Cabral, Johny - Á. López, Oubiña - Krohn-Dehli, Bermejo, A. Fernández - Aspas Referees: Pérez Lasa
		Hosts Espanyol Barcelona are in an absolutely dangerous position with 15 points only in 18 games and being on the 18th spot, the first that gives a team relegation. But also today's guests Celta de Vigo are far away from their top form with only three points more (18) in the same amount of games. After changing their head coach in November - now Javier Aguirre is in charge - the team had a four unbeaten games, including one win. In the last match they lost away their derby against the huge rivals FC Barcelona though (0-4) and the game was already decided after just 30 minutes. Celta de Vigo lost three consecutive games with the minimum score (0-1) before beating Real Valladolid at home last Sunday (3-1). Both teams met for the last time twice in the Copa del Rey in 2008-09 and 2011-12 and each time Espanyol won at home and gained a draw on the road. In the five last league matches in Primera División Espanyol had a convincing 4-0-1 record. If one of the teams can get a real boost tonight and if yes, which one, we'll see in a few minutes.
		Welcome. Game starts at 17:00 GMT / 18:00 CET.

Commentary by

Dennis Mende

Goals & lineups

Goals: 24. García

Cards: 14. Forlín (ESP), 30. López (ESP), 47. Sánchez (ESP), 65. Simao (ESP), 67. Baena (ESP), 84. Colotto (ESP) - 32. López (VIG)

RCD Espanyol Barcelona: Casilla - J. López, Forlín, Colotto, Capdevila - V. Sánchez, Baena - S. García, Verdú (77. Alfonso), Simao (84. Longo) - Stuani

Celta de Vigo: Varas - Lago, Demidov, Cabral, Johny - Á. López, Oubiña - Krohn-Dehli (69. Toni), Bermejo (73. Park), A. Fernández (59. De Lucas) - Aspas

Referees: Pérez Lasa