Racing Santander beat Espanyol 2-1 at El Sardineros.

The LaLiga encounter between Racing Santander and Espanyol unfolded on 24 October 2026 at the home ground of the Cantabrian side, El Sardineros. Both teams entered the match seeking three points, and the atmosphere was charged as the early minutes promised an intense battle.

How it unfolded

The opening stages saw a disciplined but physical approach from both sides. Racing’s Iñigo Vicente was the first to be cautioned, receiving a yellow card in the 8th minute for a bad foul. Espanyol responded in kind when Pol Lozano was booked for a similar infraction in the 17th minute.

The deadlock was broken in the 62nd minute when Espanyol took the lead. Edu Expósito fired a right-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner, finishing a move set up by Javi Hernández. The goal gave Espanyol a 1-0 advantage and shifted the momentum in their favour.

Racing Santander restored parity just seven minutes later. In the 69th minute, Jeanuël Belocian unleashed a left-footed strike from outside the box that curled into the bottom right corner, assisted by Sergio Canales. The equaliser reignited the home crowd and set the stage for a decisive finish.

The match continued to be tightly contested, with further bookings. Pablo Ramón was shown a yellow card for a bad foul in the 67th minute, and Espanyol’s Urko González received a caution in the 70th minute.

Racing seized the lead in the 84th minute. Following a corner, Álvaro Mantilla delivered a precise ball into the area, allowing Yassir Zabiri to tap the ball home from very close range into the bottom left corner. The 2-1 scoreline held for the remaining minutes.

Late-stage discipline saw Espanyol’s Javi Puado booked in the 89th minute and Edu Expósito receive a second yellow in the 90th minute, both for bad fouls. Racing’s Jorge Salinas was also cautioned in injury time (90'+7') for a bad foul, rounding off a match that featured seven bookings in total.

Standout performers

  • Jeanuël Belocian (Racing Santander) – Scored the equalising goal in the 69th minute, demonstrating composure from distance.
  • Yassir Zabiri (Racing Santander) – Netted the winning goal in the 84th minute, capitalising on a set-piece delivery.
  • Edu Expósito (Espanyol) – Opened the scoring in the 62nd minute and contributed throughout the game, though later booked.
  • Sergio Canales (Racing Santander) – Provided the assist for Belocian’s goal, linking midfield and attack effectively.
  • Álvaro Mantilla (Racing Santander) – Delivered the corner that led to Zabiri’s decisive finish.

Match facts

  • Final score: Racing Santander 2-1 Espanyol
  • Scorers:
    • Edu Expósito (Espanyol) – 62' (assist: Javi Hernández)
    • Jeanuël Belocian (Racing Santander) – 69' (assist: Sergio Canales)
    • Yassir Zabiri (Racing Santander) – 84' (assist: Álvaro Mantilla)
  • Bookings:
    • Iñigo Vicente (Racing) – 8'
    • Pol Lozano (Espanyol) – 17'
    • Pablo Ramón (Racing) – 67'
    • Urko González (Espanyol) – 70'
    • Javi Puado (Espanyol) – 89'
    • Edu Expósito (Espanyol) – 90'
    • Jorge Salinas (Racing) – 90'+7'
  • Venue: El Sardineros, Santander

What it means

Racing Santander’s 2-1 win secures three points in their LaLiga campaign, while Espanyol return home after a narrow defeat. The result reflects Racing’s ability to respond quickly after conceding and to capitalise on set-piece opportunities, whereas Espanyol will look to rebuild after losing the lead late in the match.