Alavés pulled off a major upset on the road, securing a 2-1 victory over RCD Espanyol at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona on Friday night. The result marks a significant moment for the visiting side, who've been struggling away from home this season.
Roberto Fernández opened the scoring for Espanyol in the 15th minute, but Alavés quickly responded with Antonio Blanco equalizing in the 27th minute. Lucas Boyé sealed the win for Alavés in the 71st minute. Despite dominating possession for much of the game, Espanyol couldn't find a way back into the contest after falling behind in the second half. Kike García had a header saved by goalkeeper Antonio Sivera, highlighting the home team's desperate push for an equalizer.
This victory is particularly impressive given Alavés' recent struggles away from home, having lost seven straight away matches heading into this clash. Espanyol sit in 5th place with 34 points, while Alavés currently occupy 17th position with 22 points. The win suggests the visitors may be turning a corner in their La Liga campaign, even as they remain in the bottom half of the table. For Espanyol, it's a disappointing result after suffering a 3-2 reverse against Valencia in their last fixture, making this back-to-back defeats for Manolo González's side.