Espanyol 2 - Betis 2

Espanyol: Kameni; Zabaleta, Torrejón, Jarque, Chica; Corominas, Moisés Hurtado (De la Peña 79'), Jonatas (Ito 65'), Riera; Luis García (Tamudo 72'), Pandiani. 4-4-2.
Betis: Contreras; Ilic, Juanito, Nano, Isidoro; Arzu (Capi 06'), Marcos Assunçao, Rivera; Fernando (Miguel Angel 79'), Xisco (Caffa 62'), Edu. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Espanyol: Zabaleta, Torrejón, Chica, Moisés Hurtado, Riera, Luis García for Velasco, Lacruz, David García, Edu Costa, Rufete, Moha / Betis: Contreras, Ilic, Nano, Isidoro, Marcos Assunçao, Rivera, Xisco, Edu for Doblas, Melli, Rivas, Fernando Vega, Capi, Dani, Caffa, Robert.

Goals:
1-0. 09. Riera. Steered header wide of Contreras from long Luis García free kick.
1-1. 44. Edu. Poked shot into net after Juanito headed on Assunçao corner.
1-2. 76. Edu. Turned ball into net after Kameni failed to cut out Rivera cross.
2-2. 90. Tamudo (penalty). After Tamudo himself brought down by Contreras.

Espanyol and Betis drew 2-2 in a match which ended in controversy, referee Pérez Lima awarding a dubious last minute penalty to the locals and sending off three visiting players in the ensuing protests, including keeper Contreras as well as Miguel Angel and Edu. With all three changes made Juanito had to go in goal, and Tamudo, who had been brought down himself by the keeper, drove home the spot kick to save a point for his side.

Riera had headed the locals into an early lead from Luis García's long free kick, and García caused more problems for the visiting defence with two more free kicks later in the first half. Kameni had to tip an effort from Rivera over the bar though, and with a minute to go to the break Edu scrambled the ball past the keeper after the defence failed to clear a corner.

Seconds later the locals were left with ten men after Pandiani was sent off for pushing Nano in the face, and Betis scented that a win might be on the cards. Fernando hit the foot of the post soon after the restart, and with a quarter of an hour to go Edu got his second of the evening after Kameni misjudged Rivera's cross.

There was more controversy when Tamudo won the ball off Contreras to score with a couple of minutes to go, Pérez Lima ruling the goal out for what he considered to be a foul on the keeper. But just a minute or so later Tamudo fell under a challenge from Contreras, and the rest is history. The result keeps the Catalans in with a chance of a European spot, and leaves the Andalusians just four points off the relegation zone. All talk this week though will be about that penalty decision.