Espanyol 0-2 Barça: Difficult derby ends with a win

Derby day in the Liga F as Espanyol hosted Barça at the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque to fulfil the gameweek 18 fixture. The blaugranes were looking to get back on the winning trail after the unexpected defeat to Levante last time out in the league. Alexia had been ruled out with an ankle strain, so Aitana led the side out to take on their city neighbours in front of the 1853 spectators present.

Constant pressure but Espanyol hold firm

The game began brightly for the blaugranes as a chance came as early as the second minute for Kika, whose header went wide. However, this was a bit of a false dawn in an attacking sense, as despite dominating possession and chances, Espanyol's defensive tactics and resilience frustrated the visitors' attacking thrusts.

A series of corners for Barça midway through the half applied more pressure to add to the dominance through possession, but Espanyol keeper Romane Salvador and her defence stood firm. So much so that despite 12 shots and over 80% possession from the blaugranes in the first half, the score remained 0-0 at the break.

Breakthrough in second half

A unchanged Barça came out for the second half looking to make their dominance count and Paredes headed over from yet another corner four minutes in. The game was then paused for several minutes after a couple of Espanyol players crashed into each other and needed attention after a rare foray into the blaugranes' penalty area. A corner soon afterwards saw Salvador save with her knee before following up with a save from a Pina shot.

Pere Romeu sensed changes were needed and sent on Paralluelo and Brugts after 64 minutes, which made the difference, as nine minutes later the latter sent in a sumptuous in-swinging right foot cross from the left wing that Graham Hansen was glad to head in. Relief all round. The deadlock was broken and Paralluelo soon added to the score, making it 0-2 by finishing a left foot shot across the keeper into the right side of the net after 76 minutes.

Six saves in the second half by Espanyol keeper Salvador reflected Barça's attacking threat against a tiring Espanyol, but despite lengthy stoppage time, no more goals came before the whistle blew. Final score in the derby 0-2. The win sees Barça remain leaders of the Liga F, with a five point lead over second-placed Real Madrid who they will play at the Montjuic stadium on 16 February, kickoff 4.00pm CET.

Next up for the blaugranes, the quarterfinal Copa de la Reina match away to Madrid CFF on 12 February, kickoff 7.00pm CET.

MATCH STATS

Espanyol 0
Barça 2

Espanyol: Salvador, Simona, Amaia, Lucía Vallejo, Mar Torras (Mbadi min 90+1), Lice Chamorro (J.Pablos min 74), Ballesté, Carol (Lacosta min 90+1), A. del Alamo (Ana Hernández min 83), Guerra, and Caracas (C.Baudet min 82)

Barça: Cata Coll, Paredes, María León, Pina (Vicky López min 71), Graham Hansen (Marta min 87), Aitana (Schertenleib min 86), Rolfo (Brugts min 64), Pajor, Kika (Paralluelo min 64), Ona Batlle, and Engen.

Goals: 0-1 Graham (min 73), 0-2 Paralluelo (min 76). 

Referee: María Gloria Planes Terol. Yellow cards for Caracas, Vallejo, and del Alamo from Espanyol, and Bonmatí and Graham Hansen from Barça.