Back

2-0: Back to the summit

RCD Espanyol overcome Real Valladolid to go top of LaLiga Hypermotion again

RCD Espanyol secured a 2-0 win at home against Real Valladolid on Saturday night.

Finally back at the Stage Front Stadium after back-to-back away days, Luis García’s side were aiming to avenge themselves and return to the top of the league.

Espanyol went straight for it and were awarded a penalty inside five minutes, when goalkeeper John Víctor brought down Martin Braithwaite. Valladolid’s keeper saved it but Braithwaite was given a second chance to take it due to infringement in the box, and the Danish talisman duly obliged and went the other way for the opener.

Despite being in front the hosts knew that they could not become complacent, and Mamadou Sylla almost drew level but was denied superbly by Fernando Pacheco. Having withstood the visitors’ pressure, Espanyol doubled their lead when Nico Melamed threaded it through to Javi Puado to stroke it into the bottom corner.

With a comfortable advantage going into the second half, García’s men could be more open as they looked to build on their lead. That wasn’t to say that Valladolid were not still in it; they were creating the chances and probing for the next goal of the game, but a restored blanquiazul back four was putting in a solid display in front of their goal.

The best second half action for Espanyol came from Pacheco’s superb stoppage time save, smothering any last attempt on goal Valladolid could throw at time. The Mágico sealed a commanding victory on a Saturday night in front of the blanquiazul fans, seeing them return to the top of LaLiga Hypermotion.