RCD Espanyol earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Sevilla FC at the Sánchez-Pizjuán in a tightly contested LaLiga clash.
Kumbulla’s early strike gave the visitors the lead, but Sevilla managed to level in the second half.
Determined to replicate their strong home form on the road, Manolo González’s side approached the game with a clear strategy: maintaining defensive discipline, closing down spaces, and disrupting Sevilla’s rhythm.
Though Los Pericos seemed somewhat hurried at the start, they struck first through a well-executed set piece.
Tejero delivered a ball into the danger area, which found its way to Kumbulla, who volleyed it home to give Espanyol a 0-1 advantage.
Sevilla responded, and Lukebakio, their standout performer from the reverse fixture, came close to scoring, forcing Joan Garcia into a brilliant save that tipped the ball onto the crossbar.
Moments later, Badé struck the post, and Juanlu missed the target with a shot from the edge of the box.
Espanyol, too, had opportunities to double their lead. Jofre created a promising opening but couldn’t find Roberto with his pass, and his subsequent effort on goal was thwarted.
Another chance before halftime saw Jofre attempt to connect with Puado, but the move failed to bear fruit.
The second half saw Sevilla ramp up the pressure, pinning Espanyol back. With limited possession, the visitors relied on Joan Garcia, who made a crucial save to deny Lukebakio early in the half.
VAR was called into action shortly after, ruling out a Sevilla goal for a clear foul on Cabrera, who had been pushed into Garcia during the build-up.
Despite Espanyol’s resilience, Sevilla’s persistence paid off when Badé found the back of the net to equalise.
Joan Garcia continued to frustrate Lukebakio with another fine save, while Calero came agonisingly close to stealing a late winner for Espanyol, sending his header wide of the far post in stoppage time.
In the end, both sides had to settle for a share of the points.
