Inspired Espanyol Upset Jaded Real Madrid

[Mabudi]

Hello to all.

Espanyol 2-1 Real Madrid

A commanding team performance from Espanyol saw them upset Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Montujic.


It was a night on which things came together for Espanyol, against a Real Madrid side that looked tired and disoriented for much of the game.

Perhaps it was the international break, and the injuries telling their tale on Los Merengues, though ironically, both of Espanyol's goalscorers - Alberto Riera and Raul Tamudo - starred for Spain against Denmark last weekend.

First Half

A 2nd minute header from Riera did the early damage before Madrid had even found their bearings, the uncharacteristically tall winger rising highest to nod home a ball from the left.

Rumour has it that he was being watched by ten souts, six from the Premiership, all having been drawn by his rich vein of form.

Espanyol were clearly on the money from the word go, and proceeded to dominate, with Raul Tamudo looking really menacing up front. At the back, Daniel Jarque was an absolute rock, and allowed absolutely nothing to get past him.

The rest of the half saw Tamudo come close after being put through up the right, but he snatched at the ball rather than slot it into the far corner.

Riera had another chance from a free-kick, but his headed flick was a little too high this time around. The hosts ended the half on a real high, Madrid having been limited to a distant header from Raul, and looking very tired already.

Second Half

After their commanding 45 minutes, the nail was driven into Madrid's coffin, so to speak, by an audacious Tamudo chip in the 52nd minute.

The Espanyol skipper collected a pass from midfield, left Fabio Cannavaro for dead, and zeroed in on goal. With Christoph Metzelder being drawn away by Luis Garcia, and Riera having the attentions of Sergio Ramos, the space was there for him to go left or right of an onrushing Iker Casillas.

However, he decided to let loose an audacious chip that curled, looped over Casillas, and then dipped under the bar to leave the defending champions and La Liga leaders stunned, and Ernesto Valverdo playing 'Jumping Jack' and shouting 'golazo, golazo'.

Madrid tried to respond, but if anything, it was Espanyol who improved, repeatedly looking like scoring a third. Cannavaro and Metzelder both looked shaky, and had to be bailed out by an alert and surprised Marcelo on more than a couple of occasions.

Somehow, it remained 2-0 heading into the final minutes. Ramos then pulled one back in the final minute much against the run of play, and that created a bit of a panic, but it was too little too late; the home side deservedly hung on for a win.

Interestingly, Ramos was the third scorer for Spain in that 3-0 win over Denmark.

As It Stands

Real Madrid still lead the table thanks to Barcelona's defeat to Villarreal earlier in the evening, albeit now by only one point, Villarreal and Valencia both having jumped into second place, with Barca down into fourth.

Espanyol, meanwhile, consolidate their fifth place, and are themselves just three points off the pace after a blinding start to the season. The 2005-06 Spanish Cup winners and the 2006-07 Uefa Cup finalists continue their charge up the table.

Overall, it will be a weekend Barcelona and Real Madrid will want to forget in a hurry, and one which Valencia will want to use as a basis for their title push. With some big La Liga head-to-heads coming up, it only just beginning.

Kind Regards