Leganes have set a club record by going six consecutive games undefeated in the Spanish top flight. They did so with a dogged and resilient display away at Celta, who had 78% possession but could not find a way past Ivan Cuellar in goal.
Celta came into the came having won consecutive league games under new boss Miguel Cardoso. The Portuguese coach named the same starting XI that won at Villarreal a week ago. He encourages lots of patient passing, with midfielder Okay Yokuslu dropping deep to become almost a third centre back between David Costas and Nestor Araujo. This enables full backs David Junca and Hugo Mallo to get forward frequently and combine with the talented offensive quartet of Iago Aspas, Maxi Gomez, Sofiane Boufal and Brais Mendez.
Celta came into the came having won consecutive league games under new boss Miguel Cardoso. The Portuguese coach named the same starting XI that won at Villarreal a week ago. He encourages lots of patient passing, with midfielder Okay Yokuslu dropping deep to become almost a third centre back between David Costas and Nestor Araujo. This enables full backs David Junca and Hugo Mallo to get forward frequently and combine with the talented offensive quartet of Iago Aspas, Maxi Gomez, Sofiane Boufal and Brais Mendez.
Leganes were without a number of first team players through injury (Diego Rolan, Recio, Alexander Szymanowski, Ezequiel Munoz and Michael Santos) and had Ruben Perez and Allan Nyom suspended. In their places Juanfran and Jonathan Silva started - those were the two changes to the XI that drew with Getafe seven days before.
Defensively Leganes are an impressive unit. They defended during the first half with a clear 5-3-2 shape in which every outfielder worked tirelessly. In the second half Youssef En-Nesyri moved from centre forward to left wing to try and halt the Mallo-Mendez combination, so Leganes became a 5-4-1, defending deeper and deeper.
Overall Mauricio Pellegrino's tactics were spot on. They allowed Celta to have plenty of possession, defending narrow and compact. On the break the visitors threatened a few times, notably after seven minutes when En-Nesyri fired a shot at Ruben Blanco.
Five minutes later the hosts should have taken the lead. Mallo's cross to Gomez was perfect - the Uruguayan rose unchallenged but headed wide when well placed.
Boufal then dribbled into the box and almost won a penalty after a challenge by goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar, but VAR decided not to award the spot kick.
After Junca had picked up a yellow card that will rule him out of Celta's game at Barcelona next week, Oscar Rodriguez delivered a free kick to Mikel Vesga. The midfielder - on loan from Athletic Club (one of six players in the Leganes starting XI on loan) - glanced his header wide of Blanco's post.
Celta finished the first half with plenty of possession, conjuring some really slick moves with Mendez (who had four goals and five assists from his last six league games) particularly impressive.
Two minutes after half time En-Nesyri was once again through on goal but again fired his shot at the goalkeeper.
Celta now attacked in wave after wave of sky blue. Once Leganes had switced to 5-4-1 they had no outlet and no rest-bite.
Mendez and Aspas had efforts saved before teenager Fran Beltran (on as a substitute) curled a shot wide. On 73 minutes Junca crossed for Gomez from the left. Celta's number nine craned his neck and directed an excellent header goalwards, but was unlucky to see it rebound off the corner of post and cross bar.
With seven minutes remaining Leganes counter-attacked. Jonathan Silva got up the left (a rare foray forward) and set up En-Nesyri who blazed his effort over the bar.
Leganes had their backs to the wall as the Galician rain fell more and more heavily. In the dying minutes Mendez had a golden chance from three yards which Cuellar miraculously repelled. It was an extraordinary reflex save from the 34-year-old and proved to be critical, as Leganes held on for the draw.
They have now gone three away games undefeated in La Liga - another club record they set tonight.
For Celta, it was a third game without defeat and they can be encouraged by the way the dominated possession. It took a monumental defensive effort, both physically and tactically, to deny them three points.
Images from Leganes Twitter and Mundo Deportivo
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