Eibar earned a hard-fought 0-1 victory away at Andorra this weekend at the Estadi de la FAF, a win that boosts their position in the Segunda División. Aleix Garrido, assisted by Iván Gil, scored the only goal of the match early in the second half, in a game where Jokin Aranbarri's side played over half an hour with ten men.
How did Eibar win with so little possession?
The possession statistics were overwhelmingly in Andorra's favor, with the home side controlling 79% of the ball to Eibar's 21%. The team managed by Carles Manso generated 24 shots, though only three were on target. Eibar's defensive key was the effectiveness of goalkeeper Jon Mikel Magunagoitia, who made three decisive saves, and a compact back line of Álvaro Rodríguez, Elgezabal, Anaitz Arbilla, and Juan Bernat. This solidity allowed the goal to come from one of their few forays forward. In the 47th minute, Iván Gil Calero found Aleix Garrido inside the area and the midfielder made no mistake against Pau López.
What happened with Jon Magunacelaya's red card?
Eibar's advantage became significantly more complicated just nine minutes after the goal. Jon Magunacelaya received a straight red card from referee Alejandro Ojaos Valera in the 56th minute, forcing the team to retreat and defend the lead with ten players for the remainder of the match. Andorra tried to capitalize on their numerical superiority but found a very organized block. Aranbarri's substitutions, like bringing on Sergio Cubero and Lucas Núñez on the hour mark, aimed to add freshness and contain the opponent's push. For Andorra, Alende had been booked in the first half.
What were the key match statistics?
The final 0-1 scoreline does not reflect the disparity in attacking play. Andorra forced seven corners to Eibar's two and committed eleven fouls. Eibar, for their part, was lethal in their one clear chance, that shot on goal from Garrido that found the net. The three points earned are especially valuable for Eibar's league standing, as before this match they were in 17th place with three points. This victory improves their record, which now stands at two goals scored and three conceded.
What is next for Eibar?
With this win, Eibar adds its first victory of the season and sits four points behind the leader, Leganés. The team is already looking ahead to their next home fixture, as shown on our fixtures page. Next Saturday, September 6th, they will host Granada CF, who currently sit eighth in the table. It will be another test for a team that has shown great mental strength to win at a difficult ground while a man down. Lineup details and the latest updates can be found on our first-team squad page.
The match was covered live by uk.sports.yahoo.com.
