First Division - Day 9

Rayo Vallecano 3 - Espanyol 0

Rayo: Toño; Tito, Zé Castro, Diego Llorente, Rat; Raúl Baena, Trashorras; Lass (Bebé 53‘), Jozabed, Ebert (Embarba 57‘); Javi Guerra (Manucho 82’). 4-2-3-1.
Espanyol: Pau López; Arbilla, Alvaro González, Enzo Roco, Fuentes; Víctor Sánchez, Cañas; Hernán Pérez (Paco Montañés 65‘), Marco Asensio, Víctor Alvarez (Burgui 65’); Caicedo (Mamadou Sylla 77’). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 36. Trashorras (penalty). After Enzo Roco brought down Javi Guerra in area.
2-0. 76. Javi Guerra. Got on the end of Bebé cross to turn ball in to net on far post.
3-0. 78. Javi Guerra. Picked up Jozabed pass and cut across to shoot past keeper.

Yellow cards: Zé Castro 30’, Enzo Roco 35’, Víctor Sánchez 41’, 66’, Ebert 54’, Tito 72’, 92’ / red cards: Víctor Sánchez 66, Tito 92’.

Rayo Vallecano kicked off the week nine round of games with a 3-0 victory over Espanyol which takes them four points clear of the drop zone pending the rest of the weekend fixtures. Both sides hit the woodwork early on, Toño pushing a Víctor Alvarez header onto the crossbar, and Ebert heading against the upright, but with ten minutes to go to the break Trashorras opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Javi Guerra was brought down in the area by Enzo Roco. Caicedo brought another save out of Toño after the restart, but Alvaro had to clear off the line from Lass and Tito, and some twenty minutes into the second half the visitors were left with ten men when Víctor Sánchez picked up a second booking. Rayo took advantage to push forward, substitute Bebé causing a few problems before crossing in for Javi Guerra to score a second, and just two minutes later Guerra made it three with an impressive shot from the edge of the area. With the game coming to a close the Catalans had a chance of a late consolation when Tito blocked Burgui’s shot with his arm in the area, the defender also given a second yellow card for the offence, but Toño guessed correctly and saved Burgui’s spot kick.