First Division - Day 26

Villarreal 2 - Espanyol 0

Villarreal: Andrés; Mario, Alvaro, Víctor Ruíz, Jaume Costa; Samu Castillejo, Manu Trigueros, Bruno, Roberto Soriano (Rodri 72’); Soldado (Jonathan Dos Santos 63’), Bakambu (Santos Borré 88’). 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Diego López; Javi López (Hernán Pérez 76’), Oscar Duarte, Diego Reyes, Aarón Martín; David López, Marc Roca (Diop 84’’); Oscar Melendo, Jurado, Piatti (Caicedo 56’); Gerard Moreno. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 45. Roberto Soriano. Turned shot in to net after Mario played ball back.
2-0. 80. Bakambu. Shot which went in off post and head of Diego López.

Yellow cards: Jaume Costa 03’, Diego López 28’, Alvaro 54’, Oscar Duarte 66’.

Sixth placed Villarreal opened up a six point gap over the chasing pack pending Sunday’s games after a 2-0 win over Espanyol. Both keepers had saves to make in the first half, Diego López keeping out Bakambu and Roberto Soriano, and Andrés stopping an effort from Jurado. Gerardo Moreno had a goal disallowed for a previous foul, but with the first half coming to a close Soriano got on the end of Mario’s cross to turn the ball in to the net with his knee. After the interval Trigueros struck a free kick against the crossbar, and Jurado fired a shot over the top. With ten minutes to go though Diego López could only push out another shot from Trigueros, and Bakambu turned in the rebound which the keeper ended up deflecting in to his own net off the back of his head after pushing the shot against the post.