Granada a step closer to relegation after Espanyol defeat

Granada have suffered a further blow to their ambitions to stay in La Liga after succumbing to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Espanyol in Thursday night's clash at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

The visitors took the lead on the stroke of half time when Sergio Garcia collected Lucas Vazquez's layoff before thumping a shot into the top-left corner of the net.

Granada rallied round after the restart and were duly rewarded with an equaliser in the 73rd minute, courtesy of Diego Mainz's close-range header from Lass's cross.

Espanyol, however, had the final say when Paco Montanes struck a winner with just six minutes to go, the winger thumping a vicious shot high into the centre of the goal.

The result keeps Granada 19th in the La Liga table and six points from safety with just four games to go, while Espanyol are still in with a shout of the European places in 10th and eight points behind sixth-placed Villarreal.