Valencia win 8th straight game to keep pace with Barcelona

BARCELONA, Nov 20 (AP): Valencia kept pace with Spanish leader Barcelona on Sunday by beating Espanyol 2-0 for an eighth straight league win despite having coach Marcelino Garcia Toral sent off.

In his first season, Garcia Toral has transformed Valencia from a team that had struggled to compete with the league's best in recent years into Barcelona's top challenger.

Undefeated Valencia continued its best ever start to the league through 12 rounds. At four points behind Barcelona, the win set up a key match next week when Barcelona visits Valencia's Mestalla Stadium.

The victory also let Valencia open up a six-point gap over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, which drew 0-0 in a derby on Saturday.

Both of Valencia's goals came after the referee expelled Garcia Toral, which appeared to be for arguing, in the 65th minute. Espanyol had dominated the scoring opportunities until then.

Geoffrey Kondogbia turned the match in the visitors' favor with a long-range strike in the 67th. The French midfielder, who joined Valencia on loan from Inter Milan this season, controlled a clearance before letting loose a curling left-footed shot that slipped between goalkeeper Pau Lopez and his post.