Valencia 1 - Osasuna 0

Valencia: Cañizares; Ayala, Djukic, Pellegrino; Angloma, Mendieta, Deschamps, Kily González; Aimar (Vicente 78'); Juan Sánchez (Angulo 62'), Carew (Diego Alonso 65'). 3-4-1-2.
Osasuna: Nuno; Alfonso (Lekumberri 81'), Cruchaga, Aitor Ocio, Iban Pérez, Llorens; Alex Fernández, Alfredo (Oscar Arpón 81'), Gancedo; Iván Rosado, Sabino (Armentano 81'). 5-3-2.

Team changes: Valencia: Deschamps, Kily González, Aimar for Baraja, Angulo, Vicente / Osasuna: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 77. Kily González. Beat keeper on far post after chipped pass from Aimar.

Valencia made hard work of beating next to bottom club Osasuna only three days after they put five past Sturm Graz in Europe. With Baraja suspended, Héctor Cúper decided to start with the same team that played in that match, hoping that the euphoria generated with their qualification for the Champions League quarter finals would carry on in to this game. However they came up against a brick wall in the form of the Osasuna defence who suffocated the offensive play of Angloma and Kily down the wings and snuffed out the creativity of Mendieta and Aimar through weight of numbers.

Osasuna were always billed as underdogs, but having won their last two games and lifted themselves off the foot of the table Miguel Angel Lotina was in an aggressive mood, telling the press that his team was good enough to walk away with the three points. In the opening minutes it looked like he might have a point, as his players ran the legs of the veteran Valencia defence, with Cañizares saving from Alex and Iban Pérez heading wide. Gradually though logic prevailed, and Sánchez and Carew both going close before the break. After half time Osasuna gave as good as they got though, and after Llorens forced Cañizares to save and Gancedo saw his shot turned away by Ayala, Cúper changed his front two. The introduction of Angulo for Sánchez was not a popular move, the crowd shouting and whistling against their manager, although Diego Alonso received a better reception a bit later.

But just when it looked as if Valencia were going to be lucky to get a draw, a piece of magic by Aimar found Kily on the far post, and the Argentinian had an easy job of tucking it away. The first instalment on the new man was thereby paid off, and Cúper rested him almost immediately, aware that he needed to be protected against injury. Valencia wrapped up their ninth game without defeat, and with Barcelona and Mallorca drawing they strengthened their grip a little on third place. Osasuna were not so lucky, and the victory by Racing Santander leaves them back at the bottom. With no obvious weak teams down there with them, they are going to have difficulty getting clear. A point would have done them nicely.