Roberto Fernández’s 17-minute double gives Espanyol a 2-0 win

Espanyol won 2-0 at Osasuna on Saturday, with Roberto Fernández Jaén scoring twice before half-time. The result leaves Osasuna on 7 points from four matches and Espanyol on 4 points after the opening five-round fixture.

How it happened

Espanyol took control inside the first 17 minutes. Marcos Fernández supplied the assist for Roberto Fernández Jaén’s opener in the third minute, before Omar El Hilali created the second in the 17th. Osasuna held 60% possession and produced 11 shots at Estadio El Sadar, but Espanyol protected its two-goal half-time lead without conceding.

The numbers

Osasuna had the larger attacking volume, recording 11 total shots to Espanyol’s 6 and four shots on goal to three. Espanyol goalkeeper saves numbered four, compared with one for Osasuna, while Osasuna completed 405 accurate passes from 481 attempts against Espanyol’s 251 accurate passes from 315. The visitors also committed 24 fouls to Osasuna’s nine, with yellow cards finishing 3-2 and no red cards.

Who decided it

Roberto Fernández shaped the contest with two goals from two shots on target and earned an 8.8 rating during 80 minutes. His brace takes him to three goals in four appearances in the league scorer chart, one behind Osasuna’s A. Budimir, who has four in four.

Why it matters

Osasuna remain ninth on 7 points, three clear of Espanyol in 13th on 4, while Barcelona lead the table with 12. The result leaves Osasuna five points behind Barcelona and Espanyol eight adrift, with their recent sequences now reading Draw, Win, Win, Loss and Win, Loss, Loss, Draw respectively.