WU LEI netted in Espanyol’s 3-1 win against Valladolid on Saturday, becoming the first Chinese player to score in the Spanish La Liga.

Wu found the net with a shot from inside the area in the 65th minute to seal victory, the team’s first in three league matches.

He was loudly cheered by the Espanyol crowd when he was substituted late in the match at RCDE Stadium.

The China forward has been a regular starter since signing from Chinese club Shanghai SIPG earlier this year.

“I’m moved,” Wu said. “I’m very happy with how the fans have welcomed me here. I hope I can keep scoring more goals for them.”

The 27-year-old Wu arrived as the second Chinese to join the Spanish league, after Zhang Chengdong played briefly for Rayo Vallecano in the 2015-16 season. Wu is already the Chinese with the most minutes ever in the league.

Striker Borja Iglesias opened the scoring for Espanyol with a goal less than 20 seconds into the match in the city of Barcelona. Ruben Alcaraz equalized in the 17th, and Mario Hermoso put the hosts ahead again in the 55th.

Wu scored two goals in this year’s Asian Cup, where the Chinese were eliminated by Iran in the quarterfinals. He was the Chinese league’s Golden Boot winner last year, and its top Chinese scorer for five straight seasons.

Espanyol, owned by a Chinese businessman, moved to 11th in the 20-team standings.

Valladolid, owned by former Brazil striker Ronaldo, stayed 16th, not far from the relegation zone. It has lost three in a row and hasn’t won in five rounds.

Meanwhile, three days after winning 3-0 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona followed up by defeating Real Madrid 1-0 to virtually end its hopes of winning the Spanish league title.

Ivan Rakitic scored in the first half and Barcelona held on for its third straight victory at the Bernabeu.

Barcelona, which has also now become the first team to win four in a row at the Bernabeu in the league, is 12 points ahead of Madrid with 12 matches left. The defending champions are 10 points in front of second-place Atletico Madrid, which visits Real Sociedad later.

Winning coach Ernesto Valverde remained cautious, though.

“We are not yet considering Madrid out of the title race,” he said. “Atletico is not our only rival, absolutely not. We all know Madrid is capable of winning several matches in a row and getting back in contention.”

Madrid is in crisis, with the Champions League the only trophy it can win this season. Coach Santiago Solari will be under pressure when his side hosts Ajax on Tuesday to defend a 2-1 first-leg lead in the round of 16.

“We have to see how we can improve,” Solari said.

“There is no doubt it’s a significant distance to the lead in the league, but we are not going to give up. We will keep fighting until the end, in the Spanish league and Champions League.”

Barcelona is gunning for three titles — the league, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League this season.  (SD-Agencies)