Yassir Zabiri strikes again as Racing Santander come from behind to beat Espanyol 2-1

Racing Santander scored twice in fifteen second-half minutes to beat Espanyol 2-1 at El Sardinero, overturning an Edu Expósito goal that had the visitors ahead with less than half an hour to play. Jeanuël Belocian equalised and Yassir Zabiri put Racing in front, both carved out from open play rather than a set piece — a rare bright spell in a game Espanyol otherwise dominated territorially.

Nine shots on target to one, and still a defeat

The shot count makes Espanyol's defeat look almost freakish: Racing had nine shots on target to the visitors' one, yet it was Espanyol who led for 22 minutes in the middle of the second half. Edu Expósito's 62nd-minute finish, set up by Javi Hernandez, put the away side ahead against the run of general play, and it took until the 69th minute for Racing to find the breakthrough their pressure had been threatening.

Zabiri's habit of scoring against Espanyol's neighbours in the table

Zabiri's 84th-minute winner, teed up by Álvaro Mantilla, is the latest instalment of a productive run for the Moroccan forward — he scored twice in a 2-1 win over Alavés back in September, and has now been directly involved in Racing's last two home league victories. Belocian's leveller, assisted by Sergio Canales, had come five minutes earlier.

Match facts

• 62' — Edu Expósito (Espanyol), assist Javi Hernandez
• 69' — Jeanuël Belocian (Racing Santander), assist Sergio Canales
• 84' — Yassir Zabiri (Racing Santander), assist Álvaro Mantilla

Line-ups

Racing lined up in a 4-2-3-1: Julen Agirrezabala in goal, Jeanuël Belocian, Pablo Ramon, Jorge Salinas and Álvaro Mantilla across the back, Matteo Prati and Iván Martín holding midfield, and Sergio Canales, Iñigo Vicente and Andrés Martín supporting Yassir Zabiri up front. Iker Luque, Pablo García, Pedro Felipe, Maguette Gueye and André Almeida were the substitutes used. Espanyol matched the shape with Ángel Fortuño behind Leandro Cabrera, Vanja Drkusic, Quilindschy Hartman and Omar El Hilali, Cala and Pol Lozano in the middle, and Edu Expósito, Roberto Fernández and Bryan Zaragoza feeding Javi Hernandez. Urko Gonzalez, Marcos Fernández, Unai Núñez, Javier Puado and Tyrhys Dolan came on during the match.

Two sides that have struggled to turn chances into points

Both clubs arrived at El Sardinero out of form. Racing's run before this had read win, loss, loss, draw, loss — a heavy 2-7 defeat at Barcelona and a 0-5 loss at Celta Vigo among them — leaving them with the division's worst defensive record, 25 goals conceded through nine games. Espanyol's own last five read win, loss, loss, draw, loss, including a 0-1 defeat away at Atlético Madrid the previous weekend. For once, Racing came out the better of two struggling sides.

What's next

The win takes Racing Santander to 11 points, up to 12th in LaLiga — their first win in five matches. Espanyol stay on eight points and drop to 16th, their fourth defeat in five league games.