Valencia 2 - Málaga 2

Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Djukic, Pellegrino, Fagiani; Angulo, Oscar, Gerard, Kily González; Juan Sánchez, Piojo López. 4-4-2.
Málaga: Contreras; Rojas, Larrainzar, Fernando Sanz, Valcarce; Ruano, Movilla, De los Santos, Darío Silva, Catanha. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Valencia: Pellegrino, Fagiani, Angulo, Oscar, Juan Sánchez for Björklund, Carboni, Farinós, Mendieta, Ilie. / Málaga: Darío Silva, Catanha for Sandro, Luque.

Goals:
1-0. 51. Angulo. Right foot shot from edge of penalty area after pass from Sánchez
1-1. 60. Catanha. Scored with his knee after failed clearance by Cañizares.
2-1. 66. Angulo. Turned from close range and beat keeper, this time with left foot.
2-2. 91. Catanha (penalty). Dubious decision after Oscar fouled Rufete?

A controversial penalty decision by referee Iturralde González after consulting with his linesman saved a point for Málaga in injury time at Valencia. All four goals in this match came in the second half, with Angulo twice putting his side ahead and Catanha twice equalising. Both players had only returned to their respective teams this week, Angulo coming in for the suspended Farinós and Catanha returning after a three match suspension. Angulo was one of five changes in the Valencia side, Cúper resting several players in view of the upcoming Champions League match and giving players such as Fagiani and Oscar a game. Mendieta picked up a serious knee injury midweek, and according to tests by medical staff he is expected to be out for five weeks. Both sides had chances in the first half, with Angulo and Claudio López going close for the home side and De los Santos brushing the post with a shot for the visitors. At half time Cúper replaced Djukic with Bjorklund, but the Swedish defender got a nasty kick in the face from Darío Silva a few minute after coming on, and he was carried off with concussion, being replaced himself by Carboni. With 15 minutes to go Peiró made a triple change, bringing on Musampa, Sandro and Luque for Ruano, Movilla and Darío Silva, who had just returned from a one match suspension. Valencia took the lead and everything appeared to be going to plan until linesman Rafa Guerrero (an infamous official who has made the news on more then one occasion) raised his flag to signal a penalty. Nobody knows if it was for a supposed foul by Oscar on Rufete, for Pellegrino on Fernando Sanz or whoever. They were all there in the box, but cameras picked up no infringement at all. Catanha stepped up gratefully to level the scores and send fans home furious. Needless to say, the referee had to be escorted off the park by police. Where did we hear that before? Valencia are now losing ground to the five leaders, and are involved in a fight of their own with Celta for the last European spot. Málaga are not all that far behind, in eighth spot together with three other teams. Their objective this year was to stay in the first division and they should achieve that, but with a good run they could approach the top six. Let's not get too ambitious just yet though, boys. The drop zone is still only six points away as well.

Rayo Vallecano 4 - Valladolid 1

Rayo: Lopetegui; Cota, Amaya, Hernández, Alcázar; Llorens, Poschner, Helder, Michel I; Bolo, Canabal. 4-4-2.
Valladolid: César; Torres Gómez, García Calvo, Peña, Santamaría, Marcos; Vizcaino, Jiménez, Caminero; Rodrigo, Víctor. 5-3-2.

Team changes: Rayo: Bolo for Luis Cembranos / Valladolid: García Calvo, Santamaria, Caminero for Turiel, Tena, Shoji Jo.

Goals:
1-0. 22. Amaya. From wide angle on left after Poschner corner headed on.
2-0. 46. Canabal. Raced through after Bolo's pass to beat offside trap.
3-0. 71. Canabal. Unmarked after César saved from Bolo.
4-0. 86. Peña (own goal). Rebound after Van den Bergh shot saved by César.
4-1. 87. Jiménez. Powerful shot from edge of area low into corner of net.

Rayo Vallecano finally returned to their early season form with a galloping victory against a Valladolid side that had won their last three matches. The victory ends a run of six matches without a victory for the Vallecas side, and moves them back in to a safe position in the middle of the table. Their manager Juande Ramos decided to leave goalkeeper Kasey Keller on the bench despite his recovery from a shoulder injury after Lopetegui's good performance last week. Bolo finally came back in to the starting line up after a long injury, taking the injured Cembranos's place in attack, with a four man diamond shape in midfield. Shoji Jo missed the game with a knee injury picked up Japan's midweek friendly international with China, but should be fit for next week's game. First choice defenders García Calvo and Santamaría came back in to the side, with Caminero returning in midfield and Rodrigo moving forward to take Jo's spot alongside Víctor. Rayo's defender amaya announced his intentions early on with a header which went wide, and he went one better halfway through the half with a shot from close range. A few minutes later Michel I put a shot over the bar when it would have been easier to score. After Canabal's goal at the start of the second half (which Valladolid claimed was offside), referee Andradas Asurmendi further upset the away team when he disallowed a goal by Víctor, arguing that the ball had gone out of play earlier. Víctor came close a few minutes later, but Amaya rounded off a good day by clearing off the line. Manzano brought on Alberto and Peternac for Vizcaino and Rodrigo, and Ramos brought on Ferrón and then Michel II. Rayo put the result beyond doubt after a defensive mistake by Bolivian defender Peña, who gave the ball away to Bolo. Although César blocked his shot, the ball fell to Canabal who had an easy job of scoring his second. Peña added to his woes a few minutes later, the ball ricocheting off his legs and in to his net as César tried to clear from substitute Dave Van den Bergh, who had come on for Llorens a few minutes earlier. Javi Jiménez got a consolation goal a couple of minutes from the end. Both teams are now in a group of four on 38 points, four away from the European places, with Rayo ahead of Valladolid on goal average.