Espanyol: Pau López; Arbilla, Alvaro, Héctor Moreno, Duarte; Cañas, Víctor Sánchez (Salva Sevilla 70‘); Lucas Vázquez, Sergio García, Víctor Alvarez (Paco Montañés 78’); Caicedo (Stuani 69‘). 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Diego Alves; Barragán, Mustafi, Lucas Orbán, Gayà; Javi Fuego; Rodrigo (Feghouli 72‘), Dani Parejo, Enzo Pérez (Andrés Gomes 46’), Piatti; Paco Alcácer (Negredo 53‘). 4-1-4-1.
Goals:
0-1. 62. Piatti. Got on the end of Gayà cross to turn shot wide of Pau López.
0-2. 85. Dani Parejo. Direct free kick which hit post and went in off keeper.
1-2. 89. Sergio García. Won ball off Mustafi and ran on to beat Diego Alves.
Yellow cards: Enzo Pérez 34’, Víctor Alvarez 56’, Víctor Sánchez 61’, Héctor Moreno 82’, Stuani 82’, André Gomes 83’, Paco Montañés 84’, Lucas Vázquez 91’, Sergio García 92’, Negredo 92’.
Valencia returned to fourth place after a 1-2 win at Espanyol on Sunday evening, the Ches getting their revenge for being knocked out of the cup last month. Chances were few and far between in a tactical first half, Rodrigo firing a shot against the upright, and Caicedo replying with a tight run, leaving four defenders in his wake before Diego Alves kept out his final shot. The goals started to flow after the break though, Piatti getting on the end of Gayà’s cross to open the scoring with just over an hour gone. Gayà did well to get back and clear a Stuani shot off the line with the keeper beaten a few minutes later, and with five minutes to go Dani Parejo made it two with a direct free kick which hit the post and went in off the head of keeper Pau López. Sergio García did get one back with two minutes to go after intercepting Parejo’s back pass to Mustafi and running on to shoot past Alves, but the goal came too late to alter the result. Espanyol have to put their disappointment behind them though as they travel to Bilbao for Wednesday night’s cup semi-final.