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Juan Ramón Padilla
Malaga
Thursday, 5 December 2024, 12:18
Estepona’s Copa del Rey dreams were shattered in dramatic fashion as they fell to Leganés in a tense penalty shootout following a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Muñoz Pérez stadium on Wednesday night.
The home side, who had already eliminated Malaga in the previous round, came within touching distance of yet another giant-killing against a top-tier opponent.
Despite a gulf of three divisions between the teams, Estepona more than held their own against a heavily rotated Leganés side, showcasing discipline, intensity and moments of brilliance.
In fact, the hosts struck first midway through the opening half when captain Rubén Mesa pounced on a rebound from a fierce long-range shot by Antonio Marchena. The packed stadium erupted as fans dreamed of another famous victory.
Just before the break they thought their team should have had a chance to double their lead from 12 yards when Iker Bachiller brought down Álex Carrasco in the area. But in the absence of VAR, Carrasco ended up with a yellow card for his protests.
Instead, Leganés secured the next goal of the game, moments into the second half, with a fortunate finish from Munir El Haddadi after Estepona’s Antonio Marín failed to clear a dangerous cross.
Nonetheless, the hosts responded valiantly, retaking the lead through Ekhiotz Orobio, whose stunning effort from a tight angle ricocheted off the crossbar and into the net, prompting chants of “¡Sí se puede!” (Yes, we can!) from the electrified crowd.
However, Estepona’s resilience faltered late on. Leganés drew level once again in the 81st minute when Javi Hernández headed home amid controversy over a possible foul in the build-up.
Exhaustion then set in for the hosts as the match dragged into extra time, but Estepona refused to bow out quietly. They nearly snatched victory when Diego Mirapeix came close, with Leganés down to 10 men following an injury to Dani Raba.
The penalty shootout proved a cruel end to Estepona’s fairytale run. Both teams converted their opening penalties, but substitute Jacques Dago’s miss for Estepona tipped the scales. Leganés remained composed to secure their place in the next round, leaving Estepona’s players and fans heartbroken but proud.
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