Browne decides the clash against Alavés at the buzzer
RCD Espanyol secured a 1-0 victory over Deportivo Alavés with a solitary strike from Phoenetia Browne in the final play of the match. The forward for the Perico side was the MVP of the game. Sara Monforte's team head into the break on a run of four consecutive matches without defeat, comprising two wins and two draws.
03 OCT 2026
The home side took all three points in one of the opening matches of the sixth Matchday of Liga F Moeve. The Catalan outfit started better, searching for the opening goal from the early minutes, with Sofía Fuente making a good save from a Lucía Vallejo effort, who had ventured down the left flank. The rebound also came close to finding the net, but the ball went just wide of the post. For their part, Reyes, the main novelty in the Vitoria-Gasteiz team's attack, was trying her luck up front. The clearest chance arrived twenty minutes into the game. A spectacular Sofía Fuente saved a fierce shot from Ona Baradad that was close to finding the back of the net. The score was level on the pitch, although neither team managed to break the deadlock.
On the counter-attack, RCD Espanyol came close to scoring with a shot from Anita Marcos that went wide, while, at the other end, Meritxell Muñoz had to intervene to block a good strike from Carmen Sobrón. The forward, who had driven into the box, was close to surprising a well-organised Espanyol defence. Before half-time, Reyes tried her luck with a shot that crashed directly into the opposition defence. The last chance before the break fell to Andrea Gómez. The former Granada CF player tried her luck with a shot from mid-distance that went just wide of the post. After the first half, the score remained 0-0 at the end of the opening forty-five minutes.
In the second half, Sara Monforte's side tried again, searching for the opposition goal, while the visitors looked to score from set pieces, but the home defence remained impenetrable. Both coaches were quick to make their first substitutions to change the tempo of the match. Natalia Escot came on for the Catalan side, and Ainhoa Guallar and Laia Parera entered the field for the Vitoria-Gasteiz team. A confident Sofía Fuente managed to save a good shot from the edge of the area by Paula Gutiérrez. At the other end, Nayadet Opazo tried her luck with a strike from the edge of the box that went directly into the hands of Sofía Fuente, who gathered the ball to clear the danger.
The carousel of substitutions continued with the introduction of Browne and Paula Arana for the home side, and Laura Navajas and Yorladiz Díaz for Deportivo Alavés. Both teams pushed in the final stages in search of breaking the deadlock. Nayadet Opazo tried her luck with a shot that hit the Espanyol defence, and Browne also went for goal with a strike that grazed the far post. It was precisely the forward who broke the deadlock in the final play of the match. A cross from the wing by Ariadna Doménech was met by the striker at close range from the second post to become the MVP of the clash and decide the match. Sofía Fuente managed to get a touch on the ball, but could not prevent the 0-1 scoreline and her team's defeat.