Espanyol came from behind to beat Levante 2-1 on a rain-soaked evening at the Power8 stadium to pick up their first win in six matches.

Jose Luis Morales gave the visitors a 12th-minute lead which was quickly cancelled out by Felipe Caicedo, and with nine minutes to go before half-time Sergio Garcia scored a tremendous goal which proved to be a worthy winner.

The rain had been pouring down all day in Barcelona and from kick-off it was clear the drenched surface was going to have a big influence on the game. Both sides struggled to move the ball around fluidly and it was almost inevitable that the opening goal would come about from a set-play.

David Navarro volleyed at goal from a corner and Kiko Casilla made the save but could only parry the ball up into the air, and all Morales needed to do was adjust his body to volley into the middle of the net from inside the six-yard box.

Espanyol reacted immediately and a minute later were appealing for a penalty for handball by Momo Sissoko, but the referee deemed it accidental. However, it was not long before the Catalans did strike back.

Lucas Vazquez dispossessed Sissoko near Levante's area and turned to shoot on goal. The ball bounced off the back of a Levante defender and trickled into the path of Caicedo, who rolled the ball onto his favoured left foot to drive it in off the post and score against his former club.

Levante striker Victor Casadesus had the ball in the net seven minutes later but was narrowly ruled offside, denying him what would have been a fourth goal in as many games.

Instead, it was Espanyol who scored next, with a truly special strike.

Lucas won the ball back in midfield and played a simple forward pass for Garcia to run onto. The 31-year-old pulled a feint and accelerated beyond three Levante defenders to cut inside and wrap his left foot around the ball, sending it curling into the far corner from 20 yards out.

Playing conditions worsened in the second half as the rain continued to fall incessantly on the pitch, making it more difficult for Levante to mount a comeback.

However, Lucas Alcaraz's side still created more chances than the visitors and will feel they should have equalised.

Just moments after the restart Andreas Ivanschitz sent the ball crashing towards goal but Casilla got a hand in the way to force a corner.

On the hour mark Morales missed the easiest chance of the game, somehow firing wide with most of the goal to shoot at after a cutback from Casadesus.

And in the 13 minutes left Navarro rose above the defence to get his head on a corner but failed to hit the target as Espanyol held on for the points.