Espanyol eliminated from Copa del Rey by Alcorcon

La Liga side Espanyol went out of the Copa del Rey after losing in a penalty shoot-out against second-division football club Alcorcon, which has a history of upending teams from the top flight.

Alcorcon, who could manage only a 1-1 draw at home in the first leg of the tie with Espanyol, started Thursday's contest in Barcelona knowing that they needed to score, reports Efe.

The visitors got the vital goal in the first half, with Alvaro Gimenez's header off a corner, while Espanyol equalised only in the final seconds of regulation to bring the aggregate score to 2-2.

Neither side scored in extra time and Alcorcon bested Espanyol 4-3 in the penalty shoot-out to advance to the Round of 16.

This was not the first time Acorcon humbled a top division club as in 2009, they eliminated mighty Real Madrid, also in the round of 32, and they went on to derail Zaragoza in 2011 and Granada two years later.

Meanwhile, Celta Vigo also moved on to the next stage of the tourney, beating UCAM Murcia 1-0 in Vigo to prevail 2-0 on aggregate.

A decade after their last appearance in the round of 16, Alaves will return after dominating Nastic 3-0 for a resounding 6-0 win on aggregate.

In Bilbao, Athletic beat Racing 3-0 for a 5-1 triumph on aggregate.

--IANS

pur/vt