Sporting de Gijon 1 : 0 Espanyol - Sporting step up safety search with win

Sporting Gijon took a giant step towards survival and dented Espanyol's European hopes in the process as they beat the Barcelona-based side 1-0 in the teams' Primera Division clash at El Molinon.

Nacho Novo scored the only goal of the game to see Sporting break the 40-point barrier with five league games still remaining and extend Espanyol's miserable recent run.

The Catalans had lost eight of their previous 12 league matches, but had hoped to boost their flailing European hopes with a win in this game.

But coach Mauricio Pochettino was missing eight first-team players through injury and more significantly, his side were bereft of confidence.

The match itself turned out to be a tight affair, with few chances at either end.

Indeed, each side had just one opportunity apiece before Novo's winner.

Sporting came close in the first half, when Diego Castro saw his effort parried on the line by Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni and the visitors almost went ahead in the second period, when Dani Osvaldo's header was well saved by Juan Pablo Colinas.

That was on the hour and 10 minutes later, Novo settled it when he glanced a header past Kameni following a fortuitous rebound in the area.

Sporting, who gave a memorable ovation to coach Manolo Preciado after his father died in a road traffic accident earlier this week, are now 11th - eight points clear of the drop zone.

And Espanyol, in eighth, are only four points better off with five games remaining and the Catalans' hopes of a Europa League place now look slim.