Sestao River produced the kind of extra-time upset that changes the mood around a club far beyond one cup night, beating Espanyol 3-2 at Las Llanas to send the Segunda Federación leaders through and deepen the crisis around Manolo González.
Las Llanas delivers a first-round shock
The first-round Copa del Rey tie was played in front of a packed, fervent Las Llanas, a 4,367-capacity ground where Sestao had arrived with form and ambition behind them. Héctor Urquía’s side had won four of their previous five league matches and were level with Barça Atlètic as the division’s leading sides on 19 points.
Espanyol, by contrast, came into the trip without a win in five and under severe pressure after slipping into the relegation places. Manolo had admitted before the match that his position was at risk and that the loss of confidence in him was significant, while insisting he expected to still be in charge for Friday’s league visit to Villarreal.
The visitors’ selection reflected the scale of the occasion. Marcos Fernández, Roberto, Javi Hernández, Urko, Dolan, Pol Lozano, Cabrera, Riedel and goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic were among those involved, with Gabriel Moscardo, Bryan Zaragoza and Edu Expósito introduced later.
A night that swung repeatedly
- Espanyol went ahead from the spot when Marcos Fernández calmly sent Ander Iruarrizaga the wrong way. The penalty had been awarded after Jon Rojo brought down Fernández.
- Sestao responded through Adri Carrión, drawing level after an energetic start in which Jon Rojo had also gone close with a long-range effort.
- Ugarte then headed the home side in front from an Eneko Delgado corner, exploiting the set-piece threat that troubled Espanyol throughout the evening. Eneko was later forced off injured and replaced by Miguélez.
- Espanyol had chances to recover before the interval and after it. Roberto was denied by Efremov’s goal-line clearance, while Dmitrovic kept his side alive with a one-on-one save from Ander Bengoetxea in the 71st minute.
- With Espanyol struggling to create sustained danger, Manolo turned to Moscardo, Bauzà and Bryan Zaragoza in a triple substitution after 63 minutes. Edu Expósito later replaced Pol Lozano.
- Roberto finally forced extra time in the 90th minute, converting a disputed penalty awarded for a challenge on Expósito. Ander Iru guessed the direction, but the finish was placed beyond him. There was no VAR available for the tie.
- Moscardo seemed to have settled the contest early in extra time, meeting Bryan Zaragoza’s pass with a low strike from the edge of the box.
- Sestao answered immediately. Laka attacked Miguélez’s dead-ball delivery and headed in to make it 2-2, wiping out Espanyol’s extra-time advantage almost as soon as it had been established.
- The decisive moment came in the 121st minute. Miguélez sent a cross into a crowded Espanyol area, where neither Riedel nor Dmitrovic could clear cleanly. The goalkeeper appeared to have the ball under control, but it spilled loose and Jon Rojo turned it home.
Pressure intensifies for Manolo
The final goal sparked scenes of celebration around Las Llanas and completed a 3-2 win for a Sestao team that never stopped contesting the tie, even as the match moved deep into extra time.
For Espanyol, the elimination adds another damaging result to a bleak run. Manolo had travelled to Sestao saying he would not repeat previous selection mistakes, leaving Gorosabel, Núñez and Pere Milla in Barcelona and taking only two reserve-team players. Instead, his side left the competition after surrendering leads twice and failing to manage the final attack of the night.
Sestao now carry their cup momentum alongside wider ambitions: progression in the Copa del Rey, a Copa Federación final against Recreativo de Huelva after beating Salamanca UDS 3-1 in the semi-finals, and a push for promotion from Segunda Federación. On this evidence, Las Llanas will not be a straightforward stop for anyone.
