A dream first half of the season leaves Eibar in sixth place and in a position to qualify for the European competitions

SD Eibar has today rounded off a dream first half of the season with a 2-1 win over RCD Espanyol, giving the team a total of 30 points, 15 above the relegation zone, and placing them sixth in the table, a position that would take them into the Europa League.

The goal from Takashi Inui (the first in La Liga by the Japanese player) and the Borja Bastón penalty allow the Armeros to stay among the elite and in great shape to face the second half of the season still with an eye on the objective of salvation.

The game began with Eibar committed to finding the speed on the wing to outflank their opponents. The result of this period of domination was the goal by Takashi Inui, his first in Eibar colours. It came after 14 minutes, when the Japanese player received from Borja, made room for himself, lined up to shoot and fired a curving right foot shot between two defenders that sailed into the far top corner of the goal. His wife and son, visiting Eibar at the time, celebrated the goal in style.

The Armeros’ euphoria did not last long, however, because in minute 21 a shot from Jordán rebounded off Pantic and the ball slipped into the goal defended by Asier Riesgo, the first time that Espanyol had reached the Eibar area.

Before the half-time break Eibar could have scored again, but Borja Bastón failed to put away the kind of chance he never misses. He received a pass from Luna and, alone against Pau López, shot wide from inside the six-yard box.

In the second half the game became a little wild, with both teams looking for speed as the chief weapon to defeat the opponent. The Catalan side had an opportunity in minute 63, but the shot by Hernán Pérez hit the post.

And just three minutes later, after a great individual move by Inui, the cleared ball reached only as far as Sergi Enrich who, with only the goalkeeper to beat, shot wide in the clearest chance of the match.

But the loyal Eibar fans did not have to wait long to celebrate their team’s second goal. Inui slipped through again on the left and was brought down inside the area in a challenge for which the referee awarded a penalty. Borja promptly picked up the ball and scored from the penalty spot.

In the last few minutes Eibar had a chance to increase their lead in counter-attacks against an impotent Espanyol, unable to withstand the pressure applied by the Armeros for the full length of the pitch. The final whistle gave way to a euphoria both on the pitch and in the stands. Players and fans celebrated a victory that rounds off a spectacular first half of the season which leaves Eibar much closer to their objective of staying in the First Division.

With 30 points from 19 games and in sixth place in the table, more than one fan asked to be pinched to confirm that they weren’t dreaming.