Uefa Cup Semi-finals/Espanyol 3 Werder Bremen 0:Spanish side Espanyol moved a step closer to their first Uefa Cup final appearance in 19 years with a 3-0 win against Werder Bremen, who had goalkeeper Tim Wiese sent off early in the second half.
Wiese was dismissed for bringing down Raul Tamudo just outside the area on 58 minutes but by then Espanyol were already two goals in front through headers from Moisés Hurtado and Walter Pandiani either side of half-time.
Substitute Ferran Corominas added a decisive third in the closing moments.
Espanyol began to focus their attention on attack as the game progressed and their fans were elated in the 20th minute when they went ahead.
Ivan De la Pena played a short corner to Francisco Rufete and the midfielder's cross was headed beyond Wiese by Hurtado.
Espanyol had won their six previous home fixtures in this campaign and they were on their way to a seventh when Pandiani doubled their advantage five minutes after the break from another De la Pena set-piece.
For Thomas Schaaf's visitors, things went from bad to worse eight minutes later with Wiese's red card for upending Tamudo as he raced clear.
Reserve goalkeeper Andreas Reinke came on for Daniel Jensen and the Bremen number one was called into action at once to stop Marc Torrejon's free-kick.
By now it was damage limitation time for Bremen, who brought Aaron Hunt into midfield as they sought to diminish the blue-and-white onslaught. Fernando Corominas then coolly finished a deadly counter-attack to cap a memorable night for Espanyol.
ESPANYOL: Iraizoz, Lacruz, Torrejon, Jarque, David Garcia, Moises, Rufete (Coro 83), Riera, De la Pena (Jonatas 78), Pandiani (Ito 73), Tamudo. Subs not used: Kameni, Costa, Velasco, Moha. Booked: Moises, Pandiani. Goals: Moises 21, Pandiani 50, Coro 88.
WERDER BREMEN: Wiese, Owomoyela, Pasanen, Naldo, Fritz, Baumann (Vranjes 78), Daniel Jensen (Reinke 59), Frings, Diego, Hunt, Klose (Hugo Almeida 73). Subs not used: Schulz, Schindler, Bischoff. Sent off: Wiese (59). Booked: Baumann, Fritz. Att: 40,000.
Referee: Tom Ovrebo (Norway)
