Espanyol maintained their strong start to the La Liga season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, moving up to fifth place.
The only goal came in the first half when Roberto Fernandez converted a penalty, giving Manolo Gonzalez’s side the lead at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella.
This win marked Espanyol’s third consecutive league triumph.
Despite trailing fourth-placed Atletico Madrid by four points, Espanyol have played one match fewer than Diego Simeone’s side, keeping them within striking distance of the top spots.
Rayo’s midfielder Unai Lopez was shown a second yellow card after the break, reducing his side to ten men.
Espanyol also saw veteran striker Kike Garcia score in the closing stages, but the effort was disallowed for offside.
The match ended with both teams down to ten players after Espanyol winger Tyrhys Dolan was sent off late on, ensuring a tense finish to a closely contested encounter.
