C.D. Leganés could not score in their thirty-first LALIGA EA SPORTS match against F.C. Barcelona (0-1) at the Estadio Municipal Butarque. A single goal by Jorge Sáenz, in his own goal, won the game for the Pepineros, who gave a great performance against the leader.
Leganés started with four changes compared to the last match against Osasuna, with Alti, Jorge Sáenz, Óscar and Yan Diomande joining the team, with the eighteen-year-old Ivorian youth player making his debut as a starter.
Alti and Raba had Leganes' best chances in an even first half
The Pepineros formed with a defense of four and Raba was the most advanced player, with Alti and Diomande coming in from the sides. Lega had a chance in the 12' after a great play by Raba on the left, whose back pass was finished off by Alti, but Szczesny cleared the ball with a great intervention. Barcelona responded with a Koundé's arrival that Dmitrovic cleared to a corner after the ball was poisoned after a touch on Sergio González.
Lega had another chance in the 42' in the boots of Raba after a ride that ended with a left-footed shot that went grazing the left corner of the goal. Shortly before, the visitors had to make their first change, with Gerard Martín coming on in place of the injured Balde. With a last chance for Lega after a play between Rosier, Alti and Raba that was about to finish the ‘10’ ended a first half in which Lega left a great image against the leader, with the result of 0-0.
An unfortunate action by Jorge Sáenz at the start of the second half put Barcelona ahead
The second half started without changes in Lega, with Barcelona taking the lead in the 48' in an unfortunate action by Jorge Sáenz, who put in his own goal a cross from Raphinha to make the score 0-1.
In the 58', Borja Jiménez made his first substitution, bringing on Juan Cruz in place of Yan Diomande. Shortly after, Butarque claimed a penalty for a possible handball by Iñigo Martínez inside the area, but neither Hernández Maeso nor the VAR considered the action as punishable. In 66', Neyou came on for Óscar in the second Blue and Whites substitution.
Goal annulled to Raba, and Diego and Munir had the last ones for Lega, who gave everything until the end
In the 70', Raba headed Alti's cross into the net, but the goal was annulled for offside by the player from Cantabria. In the last quarter of an hour, Munir and Diego García replaced Alti and Cissé in search of the equalizer. Diego himself had a chance as soon as he came on from Juan Cruz's cross, but his first-time shot went just wide of Szczesny's post. The last one was for Munir, already in stoppage time, but Iñigo Martínez blocked his shot when the striker was facing the goal.
There was no option for more, and Leganés were left without a point despite the great game against the leader. The Pepineros are left with 28 points in the standings and will face their next match on Saturday 19 (18:30) away against R.C.D. Mallorca.
