Espanyol secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Villarreal in their LaLiga encounter at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Friday, with captain Leandro Cabrera scoring the decisive goal in the second half.
The visitors took the lead in the 60th minute when Cabrera converted a cross from Bryan Zaragoza following a set-piece situation.
The defender finished with his left foot into the top corner to give Espanyol a crucial advantage.
Villarreal dominated possession with 63 per cent and registered 14 shots against Espanyol’s five.
However, the hosts struggled to turn their territorial advantage into goals, managing only four shots on target as the visitors maintained a disciplined defensive shape.
Espanyol goalkeeper Ángel Fortuño played a crucial role in preserving the lead, producing five saves to deny Villarreal an equaliser.
The visitors also recorded 31 clearances and 11 interceptions as they withstood sustained pressure from the home side.
Villarreal’s task became more difficult in the 18th minute when forward Gerard Moreno was forced off with an injury and replaced by Nicolas Pépé.
The hosts subsequently introduced Ayoze Pérez and Carlos Romero in an attempt to increase their attacking threat, but their efforts failed to produce a breakthrough.
Despite registering seven corners and creating several attacking opportunities, Villarreal could not find a way past Fortuño and Espanyol’s resolute defence.
The visitors held on through four minutes of added time to claim all three points.
The victory was built on Espanyol’s defensive organisation and their ability to capitalise on a crucial set-piece opportunity, while Villarreal were left frustrated after failing to make their dominance count.
