Espanyol top relegated Granada 2-1 in La Liga

Granada (Spain) May 20 (IANS) Spanish football club Espanyol climbed to the eighth spot in La Liga with a 2-1 victory over relegation-bound Granada who end the season dead last.

The opening eight minutes of the match on Friday offered a microcosm of Granada s disastrous campaign reports Efe.

Leo Baptistao put Espanyol ahead in the third minute exploiting a poor clearance by host defender David Lomban.

The visitors lead doubled to 2-0 just five minutes later when Granada s Ruben Vezo inadvertently deflected a Baptistao cross into his own net.

With a comfortable advantage over the worst team in the Spanish top flight Espanyol relaxed creating opportunities for Andreas Pereira Granada s best player.

The Brazilian tested visiting goalkeeper Diego Lopez at the quarter-hour mark before beating him with a shot from distance in the 22nd minute to make the score 2-1.

Granada improved as the minutes passed and Espanyol managed only one more shot on goal in the first half a header by Baptistao that ended up in the hands of keeper Guillermo Ochoa.

In fact the home side got a chance to pull level before the half-time whistle but Lopez saved a direct free kick from Pereira.

The hosts played a respectable second half enjoying an edge in possession against a visiting squad with their minds on the summer break.

Espanyol with 56 points are assured of finishing no lower than 10th.

--IANS
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