First Division - Day 15

Espanyol 2 - Sporting Gijón 1

Espanyol: Diego López; Víctor Sánchez, David López, Diego Reyes, Aarón Martín; Leo Baptistao, Javi Fuego, Jurado, Hernán Pérez (Alvaro Vázquez 20’, Diop 63‘); Caicedo (Marc Roca 80’), Gerard Moreno. 4-4-2.
Sporting: Cuéllar; Douglas, Babín (Viguera 66‘), Jorge Meré, Amorebieta, Isma López; Carmona (Víctor Rodríguez 77’), Sergio Álvarez, Rachid, Moi Gómez (Burgui 66’); Duje Cop. 5-4-1.

Goals:
1-0. 54. Caicedo. Got in front of Cuéllar to head Víctor Sánchez free kick in to net.
2-0. 90. Baptistao. Ran on to long Jurado pass and steered shot wide of keeper.
2-1. 92. Duje Cop. Struck free kick over wall and past keeper from edge of area.

Yellow cards: Diop 68’, Rachid 84’, Sergio Alvarez 86’.

Espanyol moved to within a point of the European places after beating struggling Sporting Gijón 2-1 on Sunday evening. Both teams had chances in a lively first half, but some ten minutes after the restart Caicedo headed the opener, getting in front of a hesitant Cuéllar to head a Víctor Sánchez free kick in to the net. Soon afterwards Caicedo charged down a clearance from the keeper, the ball rebounding in to the net but the referee ruling out the strike for what he considered to be hand ball by the striker. With the game coming to an end Leo Baptistao added a second following a quick breakaway, and Duje Cop got a last minute consolation for the visitors with a well struck free kick, the goal finally bringing to an end Diego López’s club record run of five games without letting in a goal.