Espanyol’s Wu Lei makes winning start in Spanish second division
- China forward gets goal and assist as relegated side top the league with 3-0 win over Albacete
China star Wu Lei started the Spanish second division season on Saturday with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win for relegated Espanyol over Albacete.
There was a stroke of luck about the forward’s involvement in the opening goal, where he inadvertently teed up teammate Oscar Melendo after Albacete goalkeeper Tomeu Nadal parried the ball on to Wu after 14 minutes.
Wu then doubled the lead 11 minutes later, rifling a shot into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box after a David Lopez nod down.
The former Shanghai SIPG forward was taken off after 76 minutes before Adrian Embarba rounded off the scoring with a penalty in second half stoppage time.
Despite transfer speculation linking him with a move away from Espanyol, Wu signed a contract extension with the Barcelona-based side in the brief off-season, tieing him to the club till 2024
Espanyol’s season-opener was also the debut of the club’s new shirt sponsor, Betway.
The online gambling giant replaced China’s LD Sports, who ended their deal early upon Espanyol’s relegation from the Spanish top flight.
LD face legal action from English Premier League side Southampton after their deal ended abruptly ahead of the new season.
The future of gambling companies sponsoring Spanish sides may be short-lived, with the Spanish government sending legislation to the European Commission in July aimed at banning such companies from shirts.
