Real Betis have picked up their first away victory since November by beating Espanyol 3-0 at the RCDE Stadium this evening.
Goals from Ruben Castro, German Pezzella and Juan Vargas handed Juan Merino's side the comfortable win as they ended an eight-game streak to move five points clear of the relegation zone.
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The match was just 10 minutes old when the visitors took the lead, with Pezzella latching on to a deep free kick at the back post and knocking the ball across the face of goal to leave Castro with the simplest of finishes from close range.
Espanyol almost responded within four minutes of going behind as Gerard Moreno picked up the ball inside the penalty area, but he couldn't keep his subsequent effort down as it flew narrowly over the crossbar.
A second arrived in the 20th minute, though, as Betis took complete control of the match, with Pezzella getting his own name on the scoresheet this time by steering Charly Musonda's cross past Pau Lopez from inside the area.
Again Espanyol went in search of a response, but the closest they got before half time came when Marco Asensio fired a long-range free kick just wide of the target.
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Asensio came close again in the opening stages of the second half when he danced into the box and worked space to shoot, but he couldn't steer his effort on target from close range.
Fabian Ruiz then came close at the other end with a low strike from the edge of the box that drew a save from Lopez, before the hosts finally got the ball in the back of the net, only for Oscar Duarte's effort to be ruled out for offside.
Betis finally wrapped things up once and for all with just under 20 minutes remaining, and they did it in style too as Vargas lashed an unstoppable thunderbolt into the top corner after Castro had nudged a free kick into his path.
The result ends Espanyol's recent revival of back-to-back victories and leaves them just two points above the relegation zone, while Betis are now unbeaten in their last five league games.
Barney Corkhill
