Espanyol 1 - 0 Las Palmas: Felipe Caicedo effort gives Espanyol victory

Posted Sunday, December 20, 2015 by PA

Felipe Caicedo's second-half goal proved enough to give Espanyol a hard-earned 1-0 home win over struggling Las Palmas.

The visitors had started the weekend's schedule second bottom of the table, but were aiming to make it successive Primera Liga victories after beating Real Betis.

It was a positive start from Las Palmas, as Sergio Araujo saw an early effort saved before Espanyol keeper Pau Lopez then denied Figueroa Momo.

However, slowly the home side, who beat Levante in their midweek Copa del Rey tie, began to take the ascendancy, with Pape Diop off target following a promising spell of possession.

Espanyol maintained their momentum for the start of the second half, as Gerard Moreno's effort was blocked.

Las Palmas, though, remained a threat, with Araujo's goalbound header from a corner saved.

It proved only a brief respite as Moreno sent a header just over, before Salvador Sevilla's free-kick was saved by Javi Varas as was a header from Hernan Perez.

Eventually, the pressure told as the home side broke the deadlock on 66 minutes when Ecuador forward Caicedo arrived on queue in the penalty area to converted Javi Lopez's cross from the right.

Caicedo spurned a great chance to make it 2-0 when played clear of the defence, but hesitated as he tried to round the goalkeeper and was pulled up for a foul on Varas.

Espanyol defender Enzo Roco almost scrambled in a late effort after a free-kick caused havoc in the visitors' six-yard box, before becoming involved in a brief melee with Las Palmas captain Aythami Artiles after he had fouled the goalkeeper.