Spanish National News

GREAT FIRST HOME WIN FOR ELCHE!

Elche 2 Espanyol 1
Before this match Espanyol were riding high in seventh place, and Elche, despite last week’s first La Liga win away at Celta Vigo were fourth from the bottom.
It never looked like that during this exciting match, as Elche t…

Published

11 years ago

Oct 6, 2013

National Spanish News Roundup from theleader.info

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Elche 2 Espanyol 1
Before this match Espanyol were riding high in seventh place, and Elche, despite last week’s first La Liga win away at Celta Vigo were fourth from the bottom.

It never looked like that during this exciting match, as Elche took the game to this sound senior side firmly announcing their intentions to stay in this mighty league. 23,683 watched the match on Saturday afternoon, including some 2,000 noisy fans who had travelled down from Barcelona – and then had a long, miserable journey home.

After scoring last week’s winner Javi Marquez rightly retained his place in Elche’s midfield alongside the classy Ruben Perez, with Fidel and Carles Gil wide and Coro and Manu del Moral up front. Edu Albacar, injured during last week’s win was well-substituted then by Cisma and that sound situation stayed the same for this game, otherwise the defence as expected.

It took a little while for Elche to settle, but the Franjiverdes soon began to build exciting attacks, and Moral, Marquez and Coro all went close, when five minutes before half time Cisma’s throw in just inside the half-way line found Carles Gil’s head, and a quick flick forward sent Coro on his way.

Real name Corominas used to play for Espanyol and you’d have thought they’d have known you mustn’t give him an inch he’s so fast (ask Real’s Sergio Ramos): Elche’s top scorer last year left two defenders for dead and as goalkeeper Casilla came out pushed it wide into the corner of the net. Half time 1 – 0 – and Elche deserved it.

Espanyol began to raise their game in the second half, and on the hour the visitors brought on Mohican-haired Thievy for Stuani. After seemingly sensibly substituting Moral with Sanchez, instead Elche began to look more vulnerable at the back as mistakes crept in.

The Illicitanos survived a few nasty moments, but then a mix-up halfway through the half let the lively Thievy to equalise from close in, cue the visiting fans delight high in the upper tier.

Elche could have folded as Espanyol went for the winner with several close efforts but as the Illicitanos showed against Real Madrid ten days ago there is a terrific spirit running through the team and chances came and went at both ends.

With a quarter-of-an-hour left Fidel set Carles Gil free down the left. The Valencian Spanish under-21 star is playing so well, and cut in to the by-line, beating his man to find Coro in the box, still with a lot to do. With his usual lightning reactions Coro went round his man and slotted the ball low into the corner for his second goal, and Elche’s winner.

Espanyol were unravelling as their control went, and so did their captain Sanchez, sent off for a second yellow. After the last home refereeing fiasco against Real Madrid Senor Gomez handled this game perfectly, always trying to let the game run wherever possible, a welcome relief.

After numerous second half stoppages, a worrying one of which saw Coro off on a stretcher, there were four minutes of extra time, but Elche were by now fully back in control and finally the home fans gave their heroes a standing ovation, welcoming and recording that important first home win of the season.

The international break now will give Elche the opportunity to get the injuries treated ready for Real Betis in two week’s time. In the meantime, the boys in green and white deserve our congratulations for a great performance to deservedly take them half-way up the table.

Mucho Elche!

PHOTOS: KEVIN RENDALL

Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/40872/