C.D. Leganés push till the end but leave Gijón empty-handed (2-1)

C.D. Leganés were unable to convert their efforts to points in this fifth game of the season against Real Sporting (2-1). Sabin Merino scored the only goal of the night for the visitors, who were deprived of a draw when Randjelovic connected with the woodwork in the final stretch of the game. Fran Villalba and Aitor García were the two Sporting goalscorers.

C.D. Leganés kicked off the game with much the same team that visited Ipurua the week before, except for Quintillà's introduction over Sabin Merino down the left wing. Yet things could not have had a worse start for the pepineros, who in the 4', conceded from Fran Villalba's shot which deflected off Palencia and arched over Riesgo to make it 1-0 early on.

Fran Villalba puts Sporting ahead off an unlucky bounce

The chances to equalise began to manifest for Leganés 15' into the game, with Fede Vico playing an incisive pass to Quintillà, who could not control the ball enough to beat Mariño in the one on one situation. Soon after in the 20' Bautista tried to take advantage of Mariño being dragged out of position to launch a shot towards goal, but it was only turned away by Babin, despite another fantastic through ball, this time from the boot of Rubén Pardo. The next opportunity to level the game fell to Tarín, whose header went just left of the far post after Fede Vico's corner. 

Naim certainly became the protagonist of Leganés' attacking presence in the first half with his efforts in the final five minutes. Though he got his head on a long throw-in in the 40', Mariño was in form to push the shot clear of goal, and Naim was only disappointed again when his rocket of a left-footer from some 25 yards out brushed the left post of Sporting's goal, sending both teams back to the dressing rooms with the score still 1-0.

Aitor doubles the lead, Sabin finds a way back to 2-1 but Randjelovic cannot find the net in the 89'

Leganés made their first subsititution just as the second half got underway, with new arrival Randjelovic stepping onto the field for Bruno, with Javi Hernández shifting to centre back and Quintillà to left back. Leganés pushed hoping for an equaliser while Sporting attempted to manage the game and suppress any pepinero offensives. The home side were rewarded for their patience in the 62' when Aitor García toed a perfect line before sprinting into the free space to collect a ball in behind, coolly dribble past Riesgo and notch another goal for the hosts.

Two more changes came in the 69', with Doukouré and Borja Garcés joining the fray for Luis Perea and Fede Vico. The final substitutions followed shortly with Cissé and Sabin Merino coming on for Naim and Bautista. Garitano's adjustments seemed to pay off in the 78' when Sabin Merino closed down the defense to find an angle to shoot on his right, with the shot deflecting off Babin into the other side of the goal from Mariño, cutting the deficit to only a goal down (2-1).

The final stretch of the game was dominated by Leganés in the final third, as they tried every which way to penetrate Gallego's side for a late equaliser. The crucial moment came in the 89' when Randjelovic leapt after a bouncing ball in the box and lashed it towards goal only to hear it sound off the upper woodwork. It was the closest the pepineros came to squaring the game. The next C.D. Leganés game will be on Saturday 18th at 18:15 CEST back at the Butarque against another team with an unfavourable start, S.D. Amorebieta.