Las Palmas 1 - Villarreal 5

Las Palmas: Nacho González; Edu Alonso (Jorge 60'), Alvaro, Schurrer, Paqui, Angel; Pablo Lago (Toddi 46'), Samways, Josico (Jarni 60'); Guayre, Orlando. 5-3-2.
Villarreal: López Vallejo, Xavi Roca, Quique Alvarez, Unai, Arruabarrena; Jorge López (Escoda 86'), Amor (Javier Gracia 68'), Cagna, Calleja; Víctor, Bruno Marioni (Craioveanu 83'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Las Palmas: Pablo Lago for Ramón / Villarreal: Xavi Roca, Quique Alvarez, Calleja for Galván, Quique Medina, Gaitán.

Goals:
0-1. 33. Marioni. Chipped keeper after pass from Arruabarrena.
0-2. 41. Jorge López. Lobbed over Nacho González's head.
0-3. 48. Jorge López. Follwing up after González saved from Víctor.
1-3. 58. Guayre. Picked up Toddi backheel, rounded keeper and scored.
1-4. 67. Marioni. In front of goal after Calleja rounded keeper and passed.
1-5. 91. Gracia. Took pass from Craioveanu and beat keeper.

Nobody had any false illusions in this clash between two of the newly promoted teams. Although both are sitting comfortably in the middle of the table at the moment, this was a four pointer between two of the candidates for relegation this season. In a league which is more equal than ever before, a point or two can make the difference, and with direct goal average between teams equal on points counting ahead of general goal average, a good win against a direct rival is worth it's weight in gold. And this time it was the visiting team who came away with the bag of coins, winning by a four goal margin in a display of attacking football against a Las Palmas side who ended the game with nine men.

Villarreal needed a win having only picked up one point in the last three matches, and Víctor Muñoz picked a more attacking line up than his usual 5-3-2 away formation, with Calleja coming in on the left of midfield and Quique Alvarez returning from suspension in defence. For Las Palmas, Jarni and Jorge were still not fully fit, so Sergio Kresic only made one change, bringing back Pablo Lago for Ramón. With thirty minutes gone, nobody could have imagined that this match would end with six goals scored, as neither side got anywhere near the opposing goal. In fact Villarreal only troubled Nacho González twice in the first half, but both times the home team keeper had to retrieve the ball from the back of his net as Marioni and then Jorge López took advantage of slack defending to score.

Kresic brought on an extra attacker, Toddi, at half time, but his team were lucky not to go further behind when Paqui handled in the area, referee Ramírez Domínguez allowing play to go on. It didn't matter much as two minutes later Jorge López made it three, and although the impressive Guayre pulled one back, Marioni added a fourth ten minutes later. Las Palmas were getting frustrated, and Paqui and then Schurrer picked up second yellow cards as the game entered the later stages. With all substitutes on, Las Palmas were left without a defence, and Gracia took advantage to drive in the final nail in injury time. The result takes Villarreal a point above their rivals to ninth, and with five teams equal on 18 points, Las Palmas drop to fourteenth by virtue of their poor goal average.