Espanyol: Pau López; Arbilla, Alvaro González, Enzo Roco, Duarte; Víctor Sánchez, Cañas; Hernán Pérez, Marco Asensio, Víctor Alvarez (Burgui 46’); Caicedo (Gerard Moreno 64‘, Salva Sevilla 87‘). 4-2-3-1.
Sporting: Alberto García; Lora, Luis Hernández, Bernardo, Canella; Sergio Alvarez, Nacho Cases; Jony (Omar Mascarell 74’), Halilovic (Pablo Pérez 82’), Alex Menéndez; Tonny Sanabria (Guerrero 64’). 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
0-1. 10. Halilovic. Collected loose ball and ran on to shoot over Pau López.
1-1. 62. Caicedo. Got ahead of marker to turn Duarte cross inside near post.
1-2. 92. Menéndez. Picked up Pablo Pérez centre and fired shot past keeper.
Yellow cards: Víctor Sánchez 03’, Canella 06’, Bernardo 29’, Cañas 60’, Duarte 70’, Lora 92’.
Espanyol lost ground on the teams vying for the European spots after they were beaten 1-2 by Sporting Gijón on Saturday evening, and they stay in ninth spot pending Sunday’s games. The Catalans found themselves behind early on, Halilovic picking up a loose ball after Lora tackled Víctor Alvarez and firing a long shot over Pau López. Caicedo wasted a good chance to equalize when his penalty kick was saved by Alberto after Bernardo had brought him down in the area on the half hour mark, and the keeper also made good stops from Arbilla and Alvárez either side of half time. Sanabria hit the bar at the other end after the restart, but with just over an hour gone Caicedo made up for his mistake, getting on the end of Duarte’s cross to make it all square. However with the game already in injury time Alex Menéndez picked up a Pablo Pérez centre to fire home the winner for the Asturians, who are now just a point behind their hosts in the table.