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SportsEspanyol held 1-1 at home by Sabadell in third preseason friendly
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Espanyol played their third preseason match, hosting Sabadell at the Dani Jarque training ground. After winning their first two games against Pau and Olot, Manolo González's side struggled against the newly promoted Liga Hypermotion team. The first half was poor with no chances created, and the second half saw little improvement. Sabadell took the lead in the 72nd minute through a Rubén Sánchez own goal. Espanyol equalized four minutes later when Kike García scored with a curling left-footed shot after a through ball from Roger Hinojo. Espanyol nearly won late, with Jofre hitting a curling shot close and Pere Milla heading against the crossbar in stoppage time. The match ended 1-1. Espanyol's next preseason match is against Burnley in England.
Source report
Updated: 25/07/2026 - 13:09 CEST By: Santi Oliván
Espanyol played their third match of the preseason this morning. After winning their first two games—thrashing French side Pau and Olot—the blue-and-whites hosted Sabadell at the Dani Jarque training ground.
Facing a team newly promoted to the Liga Hypermotion, Espanyol encountered more difficulty than expected and showed greater uncertainty than in previous matches. A late goal from Kike García ultimately saved them from defeat.
The match, originally scheduled for the afternoon but later rescheduled, saw Manolo González field the following starting lineup:
- Dmitrovic, Cabrera, Urko, Hartman, Omar, Edu Expósito, Moscardo, Cala, Dolan, Marcos Fernández, Roberto Fernández
The first half was poor for Espanyol, with no chances created.
The second half failed to show significant improvement. Substitutions did little to lift the team, and Manolo González's side struggled to control and dominate the match. Imprecise and lacking creativity, they created virtually no opportunities until the final moments of the game.
Sabadell took the lead in the 72nd minute through a Rubén Sánchez own goal, aided by a stroke of luck.
In the final stretch, Espanyol drew on their pride to fight back. Kike García, one of the blue-and-white goalscorers so far in preseason, scored the equalizer in the 76th minute. Roger Hinojo delivered a perfect through ball, leaving the striker one-on-one. García controlled the ball and finished brilliantly, curling a shot with his left foot to level the match.
Espanyol came close to securing a win in the dying moments. Jofre narrowly missed a second goal with a curling shot, and in stoppage time, Pere Milla headed another cross from Roger Hinojo, but his effort struck the crossbar.
A late reaction was not enough for Espanyol to overcome the draw. The next match will be on English soil against Burnley.
Match Details
Espanyol: Dmitrovic, Urko, Cabrera, Omar, Hartman, Edu Expósito, Moscardo, Dolan, Cala, Marcos Fernández, Roberto Fernández. Also played: Fortuño, Rubén Sánchez, Riedel, Pol Lozano, Pere Milla, Kike García, Jofre, Javi Hernández, Bauza, Timera, Hinojo. Coach: Manolo González.
Sabadell: Diego Fuoli, Genar Fornés, Codina, Arthur Bonaldo, Ton Ripoll, Pere Pons, Óscar Sanz, Yanis Rahmani, López-Pinto, Urri, Joel Priego. Also played: José Ortega, Manel Estévez, Carlos Alemán, Eneko Aguilar, Rodrigo Escudero, Miguelete, Mario Torres, Lluís Estebe, Catalá, Alain Ribeiro, Hudson, Liameed, Sergio Sandoval. Coach: Ferran Costa.
Goals:
- 0-1: Rubén Sánchez (o.g.) – min. 72
- 1-1: Kike García – min. 76
Referee: David López.
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Source
LALIGA EA Sports // marcaWestern
Part of this Story
Espanyol Wins Preseason Friendlies Against Olot and Pau FC