Espanyol 1-1 Ferencvaros
Although the victory against Eibar last weekend had managed to scare away the first ghosts, the truth is that Espanyol is still far from being that competitive and reliable team that received so many accolades last season. The painful departure of Rubi and the farewell of influential players such as Mario Hermoso or Borja Iglesias still weigh heavily on the Catalan squad, and both in the stands of Cornellá-El Prat and on the field, there is a certain fear of what the future may hold.
Therefore, it is not surprising that, despite facing a rival that has also started their domestic competition with doubts – Ferencvaros is fifth in the Hungarian league, already nine points behind the leaders – the perico team went into halftime with the score against them. The worst thing about this first half was not the 0-1, but the feeling that the blanquiazules are still a fragile team prone to misfortune. In fact, the visitor's goal came after an action in which Javi López, while trying to clear a cross from the bustling Isael, ended up scoring an own goal (minute 10).
This lack of confidence and the fear that what was so hard to achieve last year may crumble all at once also weighs on the boots of the team's more creative and offensive players who, despite dominating the ball, were hardly able to intimidate goalkeeper Dénes Dibusz, who was almost a mere spectator in this first half.
The script didn't change much after the break. In fact, for the Espanyol team to react at once and get fully into the fight, they had to withstand two more scares. Fortunately for the Catalans, first Diego López and then the crossbar prevented the ball from hitting the back of the net and led to a phase of the match where the team that the fans hope for finally appeared.
The perico team's reaction, which started with a weak shot by Wu Lei and the introduction of Jonathan Calleri, quickly paid off thanks to the work of the tireless Matías Vargas, who took advantage of a certain lack of tension in the defense and the visiting goalkeeper to level the score in the 60th minute. After the goal, the home team gained momentum and exposed a Ferencvaros side that until then had survived without many problems.
Matías Vargas scores our first goal in the group stage of the Europa League. How great! #EspècieEnExpansió | #RCDE | #Volem | #EspanyoldeBarcelona | #UEL
Although they maintained their siege until the final whistle and created several chances of real danger, the perico team failed to add that second goal that would have completed the comeback and had to settle for a draw that confirms their status as a team still in search of a new identity. It is true that the season has just begun and that, despite the absences, the squad still has a handful of talented players, but it is also true that Gallego has not yet managed to give his team the necessary personality to impose their law throughout the 90 minutes.