Espanyol 2 - Villarreal 1

Espanyol: Mora; Cristóbal, Soldevilla, Pochettino, Toledo; Velamazán, Sergio, Galca (Morales 81'), Roger; Martín Posse (Oscar 84'), Tamudo (Serrano 87'). 4-4-2.
Villarreal: López Vallejo, Xavi Roca (Galván 80'), Quique Alvarez, Berruet, Arruabarrena; Jorge López, Amor (Escoda 80'), Cagna, Calleja (Javier Gracia 46'); Moisés, Craioveanu. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Espanyol: Soldevilla, Velamazán, Roger, Martín Posse for Rotchen, Morales, Iván Díaz, Serrano / Villarreal: Berruet, Craioveanu for Unai, Víctor.

Goals:
1-0. 24. Martín Posse. Rounded keeper and slipped ball between two defenders.
2-0. 60.Tamudo. From close up after Sergio played ball across goal.
2-1. 85. Craioveanu. Controlled and shot past Mora from inside area.

Villarreal's flamboyant new signings Martín Palermo and Gustavo Schelotto watched this match from the stands, and came away impressed by their opponents Espanyol rather than with their own team. With the two Argentinians only just arriving in Spain and not yet fully match fit, manager Víctor Muñoz decided not to include them yet, saving their debuts for the midweek charity match against Eintracht Frankfurt when they could acclimatise themselves gradually. However with his other star striker Víctor suspended along with Unai for this game he must have been wishing for someone of Palermo's category to get a grip on this game as it slipped from his grasp in the second half. Just for the record, Víctor himself had to sit up in the stands, serving out the second of his two game suspension for insulting a referee a fortnight ago, and he communicated constantly by mobile phone with his number two Longhi who took his place on the bench.

After being forced to make several changes the weekend before and playing a weakened team also in their victorious midweek cup tie against Extremadura, Paco Flores could at last count on a full strength side. Oscar returned to the squad only two weeks after his dice with death, now fully recovered from the incident where he swallowed his tongue on the pitch and had to be rushed dramatically off to hospital, and he took the place on the bench of the injured Nishizawa. Flores was on an ultimatum from his board after a string of bad results had taken his team down to the lower reaches of the table, and he decided to go for broke, attacking the Villarreal goal right from the start. The opening moments were a constant barrage of shots, with López Vallejo having to be at his best to keep out Velamazán, Posse and Tamudo before the game was only ten minutes old. Although Calleja tested Mora at the other end in a rare attack from the visitors, it appeared to be a matter of time before Espanyol scored. However the goal when it came was a real softie, Posse rounding the keeper and half hitting a shot from a wide angle, the ball rolling slowly between two defenders who each waited for the other to clear it.

Espanyol were unlucky not to be two up at the break, Roger crashing a shot against the upright in the last action of the half, and Víctor brought on Gracia for Calleja as he pulled in his wings. The home side kept up the pressure in the second half though, and went deservedly two up after Sergio laid the ball on a plate for Tamudo. Jorge López reminded Espanyol that there were still two teams in this game with a shot at Mora, but Espanyol were not finished, and Sergio, Posse and late substitute Oscar all had efforts on target. With three minutes to go Craioveanu got a consolation goal, controlling the ball in a packed penalty area and doing well to shoot past Mora surrounded by four defenders, and Moisés could even have salvaged a point with a late free kick which hit the defensive wall. But that would have been a travesty of justice, and Espanyol took the well deserved three points to move up to thirteenth and ease the pressure on their manager for the time being. Villarreal slip a little to tenth, but they are still only three points from Rayo in sixth place, and if the new boys fit in quickly they could still be on line for their ambitious plans of a place in Europe in their first year back in the top flight. If they don't, it won't be for lack of spending.