Real Betis 1 - 3 Espanyol: Felipe Caicedo among the goals as Espanyol beat Betis
Posted Sunday, October 18, 2015 by PA
Espanyol gave their season a boost with an impressive 3-1 Primera Division victory at Real Betis on Saturday evening.
Enzo Roco headed the Barcelona side into a fourth-minute lead and goals early in the second half from Felipe Caicedo and Victor Sanchez put the result beyond doubt.
Vincenzo Rennella grabbed a late consolation for the hosts at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, but it was not enough to prevent Espanyol leapfrogging their hosts and moving up to ninth in the standings.
The visitors showed their attacking intent from the outset and needed just over three minutes to open the scoring, Roco nodding home a Marco Asensio free-kick.
It could have been more soon after. Victor Alvarez had a shot blocked, Alvaro Gonzalez lashed a left-footed effort over the bar, and Hernan Perez was narrowly off target from close range.
Pepe Mel's side took around 10 minutes to find their feet, Ruben Castro mustering the home team's first shot on target only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Pau Lopez.
Two minutes later Lopez was beaten by Joaquin's free-kick, but the post preserved Espanyol's lead.
Castro created another sight of goal for himself in the 13th minute with a menacing run, but again Lopez was in the right place.
Caicedo then passed up half a chance to double Espanyol's advantage when he fired over the bar from Anaitz Arbilla's assist.
Joaquin laid on another opportunity for Castro midway through the half but he failed to test Lopez, and Varela also sent his attempt just wide on the half-hour mark as Betis went in at the break a goal down.
Caicedo finished off a neat team move six minutes into the second half to double Espanyol's lead, again set up by Asensio.
And four minutes later it was 3-0, Asensio again the provider with the cross for Sanchez to slot home with his left foot.
Betis had a couple of chances to get back into the game, Lopez saving a Francisco Varela free-kick and Ricky van Wolfswinkel seeing his header also kept out by the Espanyol keeper.
Caicedo could have stretched the visitors' lead further 15 minutes from time but sent his attempt narrowly wide.
Varela made Lopez work with another free-kick four minutes later and then set up Castro for a header which was also saved.
Rennella eventually got Betis on the scoresheet when he pounced for an 89th-minute consolation goal, but it was too little, too late.
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