Aug 16 (Reuters) - Espanyol striker Roberto Fernandez netted two first-half goals as his side cruised to a comfortable 3-0 home win over Levante on Sunday as the opening weekend of Spain's LaLiga continued.
The 24-year-old bundled the ball over the line in the fifth minute after the visitors failed to clear a free kick and doubled the advantage with another poacher's finish from a Javier Hernandez pass five minutes before the break.
While the visitors failed to get a shot on target, Espanyol winger Tyrhys Dolan saved his team's best for last, drifting across the box and lashing a shot back across the face of goal and in at the far post after 80 minutes to complete the rout.
In the evening's early kick-off, Racing Santander threw away a two-goal lead as they were held to a 2-2 draw by visitors Villarreal, with all four goals coming in the first half.
With eight of the league's 20 teams having kicked off their campaigns over the weekend, Espanyol, Deportivo Alaves and Sevilla are the early pacesetters on three points.
JoseMourinho's Real Madrid visit Espanyol in their first LaLiga game of the season next Saturday, while reigning champions Barcelona join the fray a day later at Elche.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)
