RCD Espanyol on Tuesday needed a second-half goal against second-division club Cadiz to avoid becoming the first top-tier team to be eliminated in the Copa del Rey.
Hernan Perez scored the winner with a shot from inside the area in the 76th minute, giving Espanyol a 1-0 victory and a spot in the competition’s round of 16.
The hosts advanced on away goals following a 2-1 first-leg loss in Cadiz last month.
Cadiz came close to pulling off an upset when Karim Azamoum scored in stoppage-time at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Cadiz upset first-division club Real Betis Balompie at this stage last season before being eliminated by Sevilla in the following round.
Perez entered the match three minutes before scoring the winning goal for Espanyol, who were coming off three straight losses in La Liga. The Catalan club made it to the quarter-finals last season, when they lost to eventual champions Barcelona.
With a winner by Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi, Valencia defeated third-division club Ebro 1-0 to advance 3-1 on aggregate.
Batshuayi scored with a close-range header after a well-placed cross by Toni Lato in the 59th minute at Mestalla Stadium.
It was the third goal for Batshuayi since joining Valencia on a loan from Chelsea in the summer.
Valencia were coming off losses to Juventus in the UEFA Champions League and Real Madrid in La Liga. They had won three straight before that.
In a match between first-division clubs, CD Leganes defeated Rayo Vallecano de Madrid 1-0 to advance 3-2 on aggregate.
Leganes ’keeper Andriy Lunin, playing on a loan from Real Madrid, saved a first-half penalty-kick taken by Bebe with the hosts already down a goal.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper made several other key saves during the rest of the match to keep his team ahead in Madrid.
It was the third straight win for Leganes, who remain unbeaten in six consecutive matches in all competitions.
Rayo Vallecano had ended an 11-match winless streak with a victory over Sociedad Deportiva Eibar in La Liga last weekend.
Meanwhile, Angel Rodriguez scored a hat-trick as Getafe trounced second-tier club Cordoba 5-1 to reached the next round 7-2 on aggregate.
Robert Ibanez and Francisco Portillo also found the net for Getafe, who were coming off a 3-0 rout of Espanyol in La Liga.
Aythami Artiles scored Cordoba’s goal midway through the second half, with his team down 3-0.
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