Match Report: Opening day defeat to Valladolid

A goal conceded off a rebound before the half-hour mark, and three good missed chances in the second half, condemned RCD Espanyol to defeat against Real Valladolid in their opening game of the season. The away fixture saw the team play a side who also recently earned a return to the Primera División.

In the first half, RCD Espanyol struggled to get into the rhythm of the game and find spaces, lacking speed on the ball.
Real Valladolid relied on the speed of Raúl Moro and Mamadou Sylla to make the defence uncomfortable. Goalkeeper Joan García was called into action spectacularly from a close range shot by Comert in the first serious chance for the home team.
Veliz responded with a header off target and, almost immediately, a loose ball in the centre of the park provoked a quick counterattack by Valladolid that culminated in Raúl Moro pulling the trigger. His shot hit the Sergi Gómez and spun into the net, out of the reach of Garcia.

Another deflected shot, this time from Javi Puado, and an effort against the bar from Amath rounded off the first half action.
Manolo González made changes in search of a reaction in the second half and, little by little, the team took steps forward in attack. Cardona sped things up in attack, and Puado had another decent opportunity, although his shot crashed into the side netting. Before that, Tejero, also involved heavily in attack, missed with a shot after the ball moved bobbled towards him.
Before the end, Álvaro Aguado had a chance off a free kick from the edge of the box, but the ball crashed into the wall and the game ended in a loss for RCD Espanyol.