Valladolid 2 - Numancia 0

Valladolid: Ricardo; Torres Gómez, Peña, García Calvo, Heinze (Santamaría 89'), Marcos; Richetti, Eusebio (Caminero 63'), Turiel; Kaviedes, Pachón (Ciric 75'). 5-3-2.
Numancia: Nuñez; Gustavo (David Pirri 65'), Muñiz, Montoya, Nagore; Iñaki (Rosu 63'), Marini, Manel, Pacheta; Ojeda (Chispa Delgado 71'), Rubén Navarro. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Valladolid: Kaviedes for Fernando / Numancia: None.

Goals:
1-0. 13. Kaviedes. Took cross from Pachón and beat keeper.
2-0. 88. Kaviedes. Controlled long pass, beat two defenders and scored.

Ecuadorian striker Jaime Iván Kaviedes finally came good in this match, scoring both goals and winning over the local crowd with a fine display which could have brought him even more goals. Kaviedes won himself a place in the side after coming on as substitute last week and performing well, and manager Pancho Ferraro gave him a chance. Top scorer in the world playing for Emelec in the Ecuadorian league two years ago, the striker has not had success in Europe, passing with more pain than glory through Perugia and Celta (very briefly) before playing on loan in Latin America last season.

After Numancia's Rubén Navarro had twice threatened Ricardo's goal, Kaviedes made his mark with a well taken goal after another new signing Pachón had laid the ball on for him. The Ecuadorian hit the crossbar a few minutes later and then headed over in a first half clearly dominated by the home side. Midway through the second half Paco Herrera threw on three substitutes, including his secret weapon Chispa Delgado who scored the winner last week. Gradually the visitors came back into the game, with Nagore, (now back in Soria after spending a frustrating summer in Bilbao), almost snatching the equaliser with a long range shot which Ricardo held on to.

Valladolid replied with a header by Caminero, who had replaced Eusebio in the second half, and a minute later Kaviedes put the game beyond Numancia's reach with his second of the night. Even then Chispa could have got his name on the scoreboard with a clever backheel in the last minute, but it was not to be. The night belonged to Ecuador, and Valladolid, one of only five undefeated teams even at this early stage, move up to fourth in the league, a Champions League spot for those who are counting. For those fans of his who are reading this report, Cuauhtémoc was waiting in the wings (i.e. the substitutes' bench), but his manager preferred to put on a midfielder Ciric to preserve the result. He will surely get his chance soon.