Las Palmas 0 - 0 Espanyol: Las Palmas held as they fail to find way past Espanyol

Posted Saturday, October 15, 2016 by PA

Las Palmas wasted the chance to move up to third in the LaLiga table following a goalless draw with Espanyol.

The hosts were guilty of missing several chances, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Jonathan Viera particularly wasteful, as they drew for the third consecutive game.

Espanyol, with only one league win to their name this season, failed to break their duck at the Estadio Gran Canaria and have not scored at that venue in four matches.

Quique Sanchez Flores' side had also not found the net in the last two outings, but had the first effort at goal inside the opening minute, Pablo Piatti testing Raul Lizoain.

But Las Palmas soon found their feet as Viera fired a 25-yard free-kick wide and headed straight at Diego Lopez, the goalkeeper also denying Boateng when the former Ghana international was clean through on goal.

Espanyol looked a threat on the counter-attack and Leo Baptistao passed up an excellent opportunity, waiting too long to square to an unmarked Gerard and seeing a defender clear in the 22nd minute.

Just five minutes later they should have had a penalty when Gerard, who looked set to turn in a low cross from close range, was wrestled to the ground by David Garcia, but their appeals were waved away.

Boateng fired over and then failed to beat Diego Lopez again, this time from a defence-splitting through-ball, and his miserable night was complete when he reacted unhappily to being replaced with 15 minutes remaining.

Gerard almost snatched the points for Espanyol in stoppage time, but he headed wide of Lizoain's goal.