Kumbulla’s Goal Secures Vital Win as Espanyol Defeats Getafe and Eases Relegation Woes

RCD Espanyol maintained their unbeaten home streak in LaLiga, making it 10 matches (4 wins, 6 draws) with a narrow 1-0 triumph over Getafe. The latter has now gone eight consecutive away league encounters without a win against the Barcelona-based side.

As the season nears its conclusion, both teams find themselves in a precarious position, with opportunities for both European qualification and relegation looming large.

With this context, fans anticipated a tightly contested match, yet the first half failed to showcase any real attacking flair.

The first significant chance came in the 34th minute when a cross found Ramon Terrats at the far post. The midfielder took a touch and unleashed a shot that looked destined for the top right corner, only to be thwarted by a superb reaction save from Joan Garcia, who tipped the ball over the bar.

A goal before the break seemed a distant prospect, but six minutes from half-time, the hosts took the lead after the visitors failed to clear a corner.

Marash Kumbulla seized the opportunity, displaying strikers’ instincts by directing the loose ball powerfully past David Soria, sending the Parakeets into the break with a lead.

Determined to bounce back from the late first-half setback, Getafe came agonisingly close to equalising just five minutes after the restart.

A long throw into the box was headed on by Alvaro Rodriguez into the path of Mauro Arambarri, who attempted a first-time header toward the top left corner, but was denied by the alert Garcia.

As if that wasn’t enough, Getafe’s challenges intensified when Christantus Uche, who had already been cautioned, received a straight red card after Ricardo de Burgos reviewed the incident via the pitchside monitor.

The hosts, now in a commanding position, nearly doubled their advantage just two minutes later when Exposito’s free-kick from 25 yards appeared destined for the top left corner until Soria’s impressive save kept it out.

While the match could have been simpler for Espanyol, they ultimately did enough to secure a vital three points in their fight to steer clear of relegation. The Parakeets now enjoy a nine-point cushion above the drop zone, while Getafe sits a place and a point above them in 11th position.