Valladolid deny Espanyol

Oscar Gonzalez's header 10 minutes from time denied Espanyol their first win of the season as Valladolid earned a 1-1 draw.

Oscar Gonzalez's header 10 minutes from time denied 10-man Espanyol their first win of the season as Valladolid earned a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla tonight. The visitors had enjoyed the better of the first half, but were dealt a blow when Victor Alvarez was sent off for two soft yellow cards just before half-time. Despite their numerical disadvantage, Espanyol took the lead when Joan Verdu converted from the penalty spot after Samuele Longo was generously deemed to have been pushed by Antonio Rukavina. Valladolid were level 10 minutes later, though, as for the fourth time in seven games Mauricio Pochettino's men failed to hold on to a lead, Oscar reacting quickest to head home Patrick Ebert's corner at the back post. Valladolid produced some scintillating football to destroy Rayo Vallecano 6-1 last weekend, but they showed none of that invention tonight as Espanyol had the best two efforts of a pretty woeful first half. Mubarak Wakaso's goalbound shot was deflected wide off Henrique Sereno after only two minutes and Rui Fonte's drive at the end of a strong run was turned away with his legs by Jaime. However, the opening period did not end well for the visitors as a cross from the right cannoned off Alvarez's arm from close range and the left-back was very harshly shown a second yellow card. Verdu forced Jaime into a smart save with a thunderous 30-yard free-kick five minutes after the restart before referee Fernandez Borbalan gifted Espanyol a penalty when Longo went down in the area under barely any pressure from Rukavina. The Serbian was subsequently booked and Verdu stepped up to send Jaime the wrong way from the spot. Christian Stuani had a great chance to double the Catalans lead, but he headed straight at Jaime from Verdu's quickly taken free-kick. And the Uruguayan was made to pay for that miss as six minutes later Ebert's corner from the left was flicked on at the near post and bundled home by Oscar for his third goal in two games. Even then Espanyol thought they had won it in stoppage time as Verdu turned the ball in after Jaime had spilled Cristian Gomez's deflected effort, but the midfielder was adjudged to have been just offside as the initial effort came in and the goal was ruled out.