Sporting de Gijon 2 - 1 Leganes: Sporting sitting pretty after home win over Leganes

Posted Sunday, September 11, 2016 by PA

Sporting Gijon will spend the week sitting ahead of champions Barcelona in LaLiga following a 2-1 win over top-flight new boys Leganes at El Molinon.

Nacho Cases profited from some poor defending and Duje Cop netted a penalty before half-time to pave the way for a second successive home win to start the season.

Diego Rico pulled a goal back for Leganes after half-time, but the Madrid club slipped to their first-ever defeat in Spain's top flight.

Sporting narrowly avoided relegation last season but have made a flying start this term to sit at the top end of the table with seven points after three games.

And they leapfrogged Barca, who lost 2-1 at home to Alaves on Saturday night, as they ended Leganes' honeymoon period in the first division.

Leganes did not concede a goal in their opening two games - most significantly holding Atletico Madrid to a goalless draw before the international break - but could only blame themselves for falling 2-0 behind.

Defender Martin Mantovani made a hash of a clearance from a low cross and before he could recover, Croatian forward Cop rolled the ball back for Cases to sweep home the opener on 17 minutes.

Rash defending then handed Sporting a 43rd-minute penalty when David Timor felled Victor Rodriguez as he burst into the area. Cop stroked the spot-kick past goalkeeper Jon Ander Serantes.

Leganes were given a route back into the match when Rico flashed a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the net after 58 minutes, but Sporting held on.