Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol

Rayo Vallecano banked a much-needed win, edging Espanyol 2-1 at Butarque behind a man-of-the-match display from Álvaro García, who opened the scoring inside three minutes and set the tone for a lively night in Madrid. García's early strike was followed by Adrià Pedrosa doubling the lead in the 26th minute. Espanyol pulled one back through in-form forward Roberto Fernández in the 54th minute, but couldn't find an equalizer. Tempers flared late, with Omar El Hilali sent off in stoppage time (90+8') to cap a feisty affair that also brought five yellow cards. The win matters for Rayo Vallecano, who had stumbled through a brutal opening month with defeats to Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla and sat 16th in the table. For Espanyol, who arrived in good form eyeing a European finish, the defeat halts their momentum despite Roberto Fernández's continued scoring.