A last-minute strike from Gerard Moreno earned Espanyol a 1-0 triumph over Real Madrid on Tuesday night at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona.
Just as both sides looked resigned to settle for a draw, a late Espanyol counter saw Gerard fire in a bouncing bullet past Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas for the stunning match-winner.Overall, Real were subpar.
There was little solidity and organization in the Real midfield, with Isco enduring a frustrating night, while Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez were unable to repeat the bright performances they had enjoyed of late. Gareth Bale was little better and struggled without the presence of his BBC colleagues.
Manager Zinedine Zidane made a slew of changes from the team that downed Alaves on Saturday. An injury forced Casemiro out of action, while Cristiano Ronaldo was given the day off. Meanwhile, forward Karim Benzema and full-back Dani Carvajal were seated on the bench while Asensio and Achraf made returns to the starting XI.
Real took on the form of a 4-4-2 to start, with Bale and Isco occupying the positions up top, and it was the Welshman who had the game's first crack when his header off an Achraf pass went right into the hands of Espanyol stopper Diego Lopez.
There was another for the visitors through a Raphael Varane header, but it was Espanyol's Gerard who really should have broken the deadlock midway through the half after a Varane error, but Navas got just enough of the shot with his right leg to send the ball wide.
Espanyol were growing into the match, and Gerard looked to have scored for the hosts, but the linesman ruled him offside. Replays showed that Gerard was kept onside by Marcos Llorente, however the call stood and things remained scoreless.
There was controversy at the other end too. Late in the half Bale collected a ball all alone on the left and fired at goal, but the shot was blocked by the arm of Victor Sanchez inside the area, however no whistle sounded.
Espanyol came out very strong at the start of the second-half, and twice nearly scored but Oscar Duarte was first denied by the crossbar before Navas blocked a Sergio Garcia shot.
By the hour mark it was evident that Zidane needed to go to his bench if Real were going to kick into gear, and so Karim Benzema was summoned to replace the ineffective Isco.Yet it did little to change the face of things.
Both teams were imprecise in the other's half, spraying balls out of the reach of teammates or needlessly slowing any type of momentum going forward with a misplayed pass.
It was Espanyol who mounted a late charge and Gerard again was in the middle of things when he snapped a header goalward, but the alert Navas was there to make the save. A moment later Sergio Garcia fancied a volley from outside the area and sent it searing just wide of goal.
Zidane then made his second change, hauling off Bale for Dani Ceballos, yet Espanyol looked the side closest to scoring, and Gerard was left exasperated by a curling left-footer that just missed far post in the waning minutes.
Los Blancos' best chance came in stoppage time when Asensio crossed right in front of goal, but no one was there to meet it.
Right when it looked like both teams would have to settle for a point, a last-minute Espanyol counter-attack ended with Sergio Garcia finding Gerard Moreno at the top of the area and the Espanyol striker hammered in past Navas to give Espanyol the 1-0 triumph.
Next up for Real is a return home on Saturday to face Getafe.
Match Sheet:
1.- Espanyol: Diego Lopez; Marc Navarro, David Lopez, Duarte, Aaron; Darder, Victor S. (Granero, min. 70), C. Sanchez, Piatti (Baptistao, min. 79); Sergio Garcia, Gerard
0.- Real Madrid: Keylor; Achraf, Varane, Ramos, Nacho; Llorente, Kovacic (Borja Mayoral, min. 89), Isco (Benzema, min. 69); Lucas, Asensio, Bale (Dani Ceballos, min. 81)
Goals: 1-0, min. 93: Gerard
Referee: Sanchez Martinez (Murcian).
Yellow cards: Bale (Min. 38) for Real Madrid, Aaron (Min. 81) for Espanyol
Red cards: None
Stadium: RCDE Stadium
Attendance: 25.000
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