Espanyol 3 - Numancia 0

Espanyol: Kameni; Ibarra, Lopo, Pochettino, David García; Jarque; Maxi (Velamazán 74'), Fredson (Corominas 52'), De la Peña, Amavisca (Dani 79'); Tamudo. 4-1-4-1.
Numancia: Juanma; Pignol, Antonio, Otxoa, Graff; Miguel Pérez (Pineda 58'), Pablo Sanz, Palacios, Juanlu; Carlos Merino (Mario 80'), Tevenet (Miguel 46'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Espanyol: David García, Fredson for Soldevilla, Alex Fernández / Numancia: Palacios for Pineda.

Goals:
1-0. 55. Amavisca. Picked up ball outside area and ran on to shoot past Juanma.
2-0. 60. Corominas. Collected pass from Tamudo and shot low across keeper.
3-0. 83. Graff (own goal). Headed ball over own keeper from De la Pena free kick.

Espanyol moved back up to fifth in the table with a comfortable 3-0 win over Numancia, who are mathematically relegated as a result. It took them some time to get going though, and the home fans gave them the bird as Pignol and Tevenet tested Kameni in the opening minutes.

Gradually though the Catalans worked their way into the game, Lopo having a penalty appeal turned down by Esquinas Torres and De la Peña and David García having efforts blocked by the defence. And soon after the restart Maxi had a shot saved by Juanma, and Pochettino had an appeal for a goal waved away by the referee after his header was scrambled away from under the crossbar.

Lotina had put a new 4-1-4-1 formation, with Jarque playing in front of the back four, but he abandoned his plans soon after the restart and brought on Corominas. It proved to be a key decision, as within a couple of minutes the young midfielder charged through the centre of defence to force Juanma to block his path, the ball falling to Amavisca who made himself space and fired a shot into the back of the net. And only a couple of minutes later Corominas got the second himself after he controlled a pass in from the right wing from Tamudo to slide the ball under the keeper.

After that there was no way back for the Soria based team, and the hosts got a third goal near the end when Graff headed a De la Peña free kick over his own keeper trying to clear. And De la Peña could have got a fourth as well when his inswinging corner bounced off the top of the crossbar. But by then the demanding fans were already back on their side, happy to know that they will probably be watching European football at the Montjuic stadium next season.