Eibar saw off Espanyol 1-0 in the opening round of the Primera División women's competition on Friday evening. The only goal arrived in stoppage time, when A. Belem found the net at 90+1'. The result leaves the hosts top of the table with three points from their first game, while the visitors scoreless after one defeat.
And here's the thing — you wouldn't have guessed it from the match statistics. Espanyol dominated possession at 57 per cent and completed 430 passes against Eibar's 324. They registered more attacks, more throw-ins, and had the higher pass completion. To be fair, it looked like a comfortable afternoon for the away side for large stretches.
But then the game shifted. Eibar were more direct, taking 3 shots on target compared to their opponents' 2. By then, the home side had already made four substitutions in the 46th minute — S. Martin, I. Lacosta, J. Guerra and P. Arana — suggesting a tactical reset rather than fatigue. Espanyol responded with changes of their own, bringing on Bicho and N. Sanchez before the hour mark.
What mattered was how Eibar defended their shape. They committed 14 fouls to Espanyol's 7, disrupted the rhythm, and earned a yellow card for A. Rico Torres in the 71st minute. The home goalkeeper made 2 saves, the same as his counterpart. The difference came in how those chances were handled.
Belem's goal in the dying moments proved decisive. It was Eibar's third shot on target that counted, while Espanyol's two attempts went begging. The visitors added substitutions at 73 and 77 minutes — O. Baradad and C. Andres — but could not find an equaliser despite having the ball for longer periods of the game.
Match Statistics
- Eibar: 43% possession, 324 passes, 3 shots on target, 5 off target, 5 corners
- Espanyol: 57% possession, 430 passes, 2 shots on target, 2 off target, 5 corners
Eibar move to seventh place with a perfect start, while Espanyol sit tenth after their first defeat. The home side have now won one game and lost none, whereas the visitors have not managed a point from their opening fixture.