Joselu Mato salvages Alavés 1-1 draw with Leganés in Liga
VITÓRIA, Spain (AP) — Alavés striker Joselu Mato scored his seventh goal in the Spanish league to salvage a 1-1 draw at home against Leganés on Friday.
Alavés ended a two-game losing run and remained six points above the relegation zone.
Leganés stayed in the second-to-last place and winless on the road this season.
Alavés created the most scoring chances but the visitors went ahead when Martin Braithwaite scored from a low cross by Kevin Rodrigues just before halftime.
Leganés defended better in the second half until Mato finished off a rebound after the defence failed to clear a corner kick.
Before Mato’s goal, Alavés goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco snuffed out a great chance for Leganés to put the result beyond doubt when he stripped the ball from Roque Mesa in a two-on-one counterattack.
Mato, a former Real Madrid youth player, returned to Spain during the offseason after seeing limited playing time during two campaigns at English club Newcastle.
“I am very happy here. It is clear that during the last two seasons I was not given the chance to show what I can do,” Mato said.
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