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Elche
La Liga
Oct 5, 2013 at 3pm UK
 
Espanyol logo

2-1

Coro (40', 73')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Thievy (65')
Sanchez (89')

Live Commentary: Elche 2-1 Espanyol - as it happened

Relive our live coverage of the La Liga match between Elche and Espanyol.
2

Elche hosted Espanyol at the Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium looking for their second successive La Liga victory following last week's 1-0 victory away at Celta Vigo.

In a tense first half, Coro's goal five minutes before half time gave the home side the lead going into the break, but Thievy equalised for Espanyol after 65 minutes.

However, Coro scored his second of the game 15 minutes from time to give Elche their first home win of the season.

Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute commentary below.


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Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of Elche against Espanyol in La Liga!

TEAM NEWS:

ELCHE: Manu; Suarez, Lomban, l'Anson, Clema; Perez, Marquez, Gil, del Moral; Fidel, Core

ESPANYOL: Casilla; Lopez, Colotte, Rodriguez, Fuetnes; Sanchez Lopez, Garcia, Simao; Stuani, Abraham


So there you have it, a lot of big names on show here today, including Simao. Joan Capdevilla, a starter for Spain in the 2010 World Cup no less, only makes the bench for the visitors today.

Just time for a quick prediction from me; I am going to go with a 2-0 away win for Espanyol today.

KICKOFF The match gets underway.

Sergio Garcia leaps above both central defenders from a hopeful cross and nods wide. A decent effort by the forward, but it would have taken an unbelievable header to beat the goalkeeper.

A scrappy start to the game after that Garcia header. Espanyol are just managing to get their foot of the ball, though, and have forced a corner.

CLOSE! Simao swings in a deep corner to the far post, and Diego Colotto should do better than head over from six yards out! His teammate Christian Stuani jumped just in front of him, which may well have unsighted the big defender.

OUCH! Ruben Perez catches David Lopez with his studs. It was certainly not a malicious challenge, but the Espanyol midfielder is still hobbling from the tackle.

Disappointing from the home side. Good play down the left flank forces a corner, but they opt to play it short and they end up scooping the ball into the grateful hands of Kiko Casilla.

Carlos Gil marauds forward from the right back position, but ends up forcing a through ball straight to Casilla. Better from Elche, but the final ball has been poor so far.

Fidel is strong and holds off a challenge from Diego Colotto and lays the ball off to the onrushing Javi Marquez. The midfielder strikes the ball from 20 yards, but scuffs it somewhat and it dribbles well wide of the post.

Strong start by the home side. Aside from Colotto's header, Espanyol have hardly touched the ball. You do feel that Elche will have to take their chances when they are on top though. Simao and Sergio Garcia form a potent strike force on the break.

Simao gives away a foul at the far post for jumping into Damien Suarez. He is usually the one delivering the ball into the box!

A nice touch by the fans inside the stadium, who hold a minute's applause to honour former Espanyol defender Dani Jarque. He was named club captain in July 2009, but tragically died of a heart attack just a month later.

CHANCE! Superb centre forward play by Manu del Moral. He lets the ball run between his legs and runs beyond Javi Lopez before cutting inside and firing a fierce shot towards goal, which Casilla can only push straight in front of him.

The best moment of the half for the home side there. A real moment of individual class by Moral.

UPDATE! Liverpool lead Crystal Palace by two early goals to nil. The goalscorers? Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge of course. All the other Premier League games are goalless so far.

CHANCE! Elche are really growing into this game, and all their joy is coming down to left flank. This time it is Coro who turns Javi Lopez in knots. He drops a shoulder, throws out a stepover and drives towards the byline before firing a powerful effort across goal. Casilla is alert, though, and pushes the shot out for a corner.

MISS!Better from Espanyol. Simao's free kick from the right flank finds David Lopez completely unmarked 12 yards out, but the midfielder fluffs his lines and heads well wide. He should have done much better.

Sergio Garcia is proving a real nuisance. The front man has been left to chase balls by himself for the majority of the first half, and he almost forges a chance for himself by holding off tow challenges, but he is soon outnumbered. The Espanyol midfield have to get closer to him when he gets the ball into feet.

Juan Fentes scythes down Carles Gil as the winger breaks forward. The defender is lucky to escape a booking there. Elche waste the opportunity by blasting the ball straight out of play.

GOAL! Elche 1-0 Espanyol (Coro)

Such a terrible goal to concede from Espanyol's point of view. A throw in is headed on by Moral, and Coro nudges Raul Rodriguez out of the way. The striker motors towards goal from the left flank and slots a clam finish into the far corner. Rodriguez has got to be stronger and prevent Coro from getting away there.

Espanyol are at sixes and sevens. A deep corner almost finds its way in, and then Carles Gil fires wide from 18 yards after wriggling free.

Coro has a chance to make 2-0 on the stroke of half time, but the striker's first touch is too heavy and allows Simao to get back and make a crucial block.

1 minute of added time announced

Elche survive a couple of nervy moments. First, Sergio Garcia fires just over the bar and then Domingo Cisma slices his clearance straight to Simao, but the winger is outnumbered and Elche manage to clear.

HALF TIME: Elche 1-0 Espanyol

Coro's goal is the difference at the break. A superbly taken goal it may well have been, but Javier Aguirre will be furious at the manner in which it was conceded.

Despite Elche having the best of the first half and having far more chances, the two better efforts of the half have fallen Espanyol's way. Diego Colotto and David Lopez both should have done better than put their respective headers wide.

UPDATE: It looks as though it is game over at Anfield. Liverpool lead Crystal Palace 3-0 at the break, courtesy of goals from Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard. Elsewhere, Loic Remy has grabbed a brace at Cardiff City as Newcastle United lead 2-0.

Earlier in the day, Manchester City beat Everton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium, with Sergio Aguero scoring twice as the Toffees fell to their first loss of the season.

We're minutes away from the second half here at the Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium. Espanyol must get in and around Sergio Garcia if they are to find a way back into this game. The striker has played well, but he needs support.

KICKOFF The second half gets underway.

No changes for either side at the the break. Elche force an early free kick 30 yards from goal on the right wing.

It is defended well by the home side, though.

CLOSE! Javi Lopez powers down the right flank and fires a low cross along the six-yard box. Sergio Garcia tries a deft flick with the instep of his right boot, but doesn't quite get enough on it to turn the ball home. A magnificent piece of ingenuity by the striker.

SUBSTITUTION: Pizzi replaces Arbaham, who was largely anonymous in the first period.

A complete role-reversal at the start of the second half. Espanyol have pinned Elche in their own half, and Javi Lopez is playing more as a right winger than a right back in the opening minutes of the second period.

Sergio Garcia is once again left to take on the entire Elche defence. He collects a long clearance and beats two defenders, but is soon crowded out. Simao must play closer to him.

CHANCE! Fidel swings a cross in from the left wing, which Coro brings down quickly and fires towards goal on the half-volley with his second touch. Casilla makes an unorthodox save straight back into the melee. Javi Marquez fires the ball first time towards goal, but it trickles wide.

Manu del Moral is receiving treatment after a heavy challenge.

SUBSTITUTION: The midfielder leaves the pitch to be replaced by Carlos Sanchez. A very good performance by Moral, topped off nicely by an assist. A few minutes before, Thievy replaced Christian Stuani for Espanyol.

A penalty claim for Espanyol, as Thievy goes down at the far post as he tries to latch on to a header.

GOAL! Elche 1-1 Espanyol (Thievy)

A beautifully crafted goal by the away side! Thievy picks the ball up in a central position with his back to goal and lays it off to Simao. The winger plays a defence-splitting ball into the path of Sergio Garcia, who sets up Thievy. The substitute calmly takes a touch to wrongfoot his marker and rolls the ball into the corner of the net. A brilliant goal.

PENALTY CLAIM! A minute after equalising, Espanyol have yet another penalty claim, and it is a much stringer one this time. Sergio Garcia is felled by a clumsy Damian Suarez tackle. He didn't win any of the ball and certainly caught Garcia there.

Espnayol are really turning the screw here. Javi Lopez fizzes a dangerous cross across the six-yard box, but no-one is there to meet it.

CLOSE! Elche are living dangerously. Garcia latches onto a through ball and smashes a shot towards the near post from 10 yards, which Manu does well to tip behind for a corner.

In amongst that Espanyol onslaught, Aaron was brought on to replace Javi Marquez for Elche.

GOAL! Elche 2-1 Espanyol (Coro)

Coro with his second goal of the game, and totally against the run of play! Carles Gil squeezes a ball into the path of Coro from the left-hand side of the penalty area. The striker is quickest off the mark, and nips in to take his first touch around Diego Colotto and forces a left-footed finish into the near corner from 10 yards. Instinctive forward play by Coro.

SUBSTITUTION: A final throw of the dice by Javier Aguirre, as Manuel Lanzarote replaces an ineffective Simao.

A free kick in a dangerous position for Espanyol, as Pizzi is brought down 20 yards from goal in a central position.

The Portuguese blasts his free kick well over the crossbar though. A poor effort by the winger.

Another poor free kick from the away side. Manuel Lanzarote gets too much on his free kick and Manu gathers easily.

SUBSTITUTION: Elche's hero and double-goalscorer Coro leaves the pitch on a stretcher. It seemed an innocuous challenge as he jumped for a header, but he has had to leave the field.

Just four minutes remain in the match. Can Espanyol find an equaliser?

Elche are playing very cleverly and taking the sting out of the game by keeping possession. They aren't going anywhere. In fact, a number of passes are going backwards, but they are just making Espanyol chase the game.

RED CARD! (Victor Sanchez)

What a ludicrous challenge by Victor Sanchez! Already on a booking, the midfielder lashes out and swings a wild challenge which catches Ruben Perez. A second booking for the Espanyol midfielder, and he can have no complaints whatsoever.

A free kick just over 20 yards from goal for Esapnyol. You get the feeling this could be their final chance to rescue a point...

... and it is wasted.

4 minutes of added time announced

CLOSE! Diego Colotto so nearly scores a goal that any centre forward would have been proud of, never mind a centre half! The ball drops just outisde the area of the right-hand side, and Colotto sends a dipping, swerving effort towards the top corner. He gets just too much on it, and the balls hits the roof of the net. He has got his head in his hands, but what a marvellous effort.

We are into the final minute here, and Espanyol have a free kick deep inside their own half. Everyone but the goalkeeper has gone forward.

FULL TIME: Elche 2-1 Espanyol

Elche have taken the win then. Coro was the star of the show, with two very well taken goals either side of Thievy's equaliser.

Thats two wins in two matches now for Elche, who had previously gone six games without victory prior to last week. Today's win moves them up to 11th place in La Liga table, just two points adrift of Espanyol.

That's all from the Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium, but stick around on Sports Mole for live commentary of Rayo Vallecano vs. Real Sociedad and tons of match reaction from all of today's games. Thanks for joining me!

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