First Division - Day 5

Espanyol 1 - Barcelona 2

Espanyol: Kameni; Sergio Sánchez, Jarque, Nico Pareja, Chica; Moisés Hurtado, Román Martínez; Coro (Oscar Sielva 80'), Luis García (José Callejón 76'), Nené; Tamudo (Angel 46'). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Daniel Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Abidal (Eto'o 54'); Xavi, Sergio Busquets (Bojan 65'), Gudjohnsen (Keita 62'); Messi, Henry, Iniesta. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Espanyol: Chica, Moisés Hurtado, Román Martínez, Coro, Nené, Tamudo for Finnan, Oscar Sielva, Valdo, Angel, Lola, Jonathan Soriano / Barcelona: Piqué, Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Gudjohnsen, Henry for Martín Cáceres, Márquez, Touré Yayá, Keita, Etoo.

Goals:
1-0. 20. Coro. Drove shot back into net after Valdés pushed high ball away.
1-1. 75. Henry. Turned ball in to empty net after Kameni clearance hit Jarque.
1-2. 94. Messi (penalty). After Nico Pareja brought down Eto'o inside area.

Yellow cards: Busquets 05', Nené 12', 45', Valdés 21', Román 53', Chica 55', Jarque 89' / red cards: Nené 45'.

Controversy in the Montjuic stadium as Barcelona beat Espanyol 1-2 thanks to a last second penalty. Referee Medina Cantalejo did his best to control things, but he didn't see a possible hand ball by Moisés in the area in the fifth minute, or a Luis García elbow in the ribs of Víctor Valdés a quarter of an hour later as he pushed out a high ball after Piqué blocked Tamudo's cross, Coro drilling home the rebound to open the scoring.

Barça had dominated up to that point, Henry shooting wide and Xavi rattling the bar with a long shot. And after Coro's goal, Kameni saved from Iniesta and Messi, and Pareja headed off the line from Henry with the keeper beaten. And things swung more in the way of the visitors when Nené was sent off after picking up a second booking for a foul on Sergio Busquets on the stroke of half time.

Tintin Márquez took off Tamudo at the break to bring on the more defensive Angel, and Guardiola responded by taking off a full back to bring on Eto'o. The Cameroonian striker brought a good save out of his fellow countryman Kameni, and Henry hit the post in another attack. But then the game was stopped as a group of delinquent visiting fans irresponsibly threw flares in to the stands, and for eight minutes there were doubts whether the players could continue or not.

Eventually though the match resumed, and within a few minutes Henry got the luck which had eluded him up to then, controlling Xavi's through ball and seeing Kameni's attempted clearance bounce off Jarque to his feet, allowing him to score in to an empty net. It was still not over though, and in the dying seconds Medina awarded the visitors a penalty when Pareja brought down Eto'o, Messi slotting home the kick to win the match. The last derby in the Olympic stadium before Espanyol move to their new ground was over, but the repercussions will go on for some time to come.