Hove Espanyol secured a 2:1 victory over InterCity in a Club Friendly match on August 11, 2026. The hosts took control early through two quick goals from the Martinez brothers before InterCity pulled one back late on. By then, the damage was already done.
M. Martinez opened the scoring in the 41st minute, catching the defence flat-footed. It was the kind of moment that shifts momentum, though you would not know it from the scoreboard alone. To be fair, InterCity had chances to respond before the interval.
Just three minutes later, J. Martinez doubled the lead in the 44th minute. The home side played the second half a man up, and the pressure told. And here's the thing — you can see why InterCity's recent form has been inconsistent when they leave themselves exposed like that.
C. Herrera pulled one back for InterCity in the 80th minute, but it was too little, too late. The visitors had won their last outing 1:0 against La Nucia, but this match showed a different side to their game. They got dragged out of position when it mattered.
The result leaves Espanyol with a positive note ahead of the season, while InterCity will take more questions away. Five recent matches tell you more than one friendly, but this one showed where things need to improve.