Rayo Vallecano beat Espanyol 2-1 in LaLiga after a first-half burst put them two goals clear. A second-half reply from the visitors never became a full comeback.
Match Summary
Rayo Vallecano seized control in the opening spell. Álvaro García had them in front after three minutes, and Adrià Pedrosa made it two before the game was half an hour old. García supplied the assist this time. Espanyol had barely settled, and the home side carried that two-goal lead through to the break, with Unai López booked around half-time.
The visitors found a way back after the restart. Roberto Fernández Jaén scored in the 54th minute, assisted by Francisco Javier Hernandez Coarasa, and Espanyol spent the rest of the match chasing an equalizer. Rayo did not add a third. They did collect a string of yellow cards as the contest stretched, while Marcos Fernández was cautioned for Espanyol. Late on the visitors were reduced to ten men when Omar El Hilali was shown a red card, and the official score stayed 2-1.
