Rayo Vallecano 1 - Athletic Bilbao 2

Rayo: Keller; Alcázar (Patxi Ferreira 65'), De Quintana, Ballesteros, Mingo; Poschner, Quevedo; Mauro (Bolo 30'), Luis Cembranos, Michel (Setvalls 22'); Bolic. 4-2-3-1.
Bilbao: Lafuente; Lacruz, Roberto Rios (Larrainzar 75'), Carlos García (David Cuéllar 70'), Larrazábal; Oscar Vales, Alkiza; Yeste, Tiko, Felipe; Ezquerro (Merino 85'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Rayo: Mauro for Iván Iglesias / Bilbao: Carlos García, Felipe, Yeste for Orbaiz, Julen Guerrero, Urzaiz

Goals:
0-1. 21. Ezquerro. Placed ball past Keller after receiving pass from Tiko.
0-2. 91. Tiko. Controlled pass from Merino on left and volleyed in off far post.
1-2. 93. Luis Cembranos (penalty). After Larrazábal tripped Bolo from behind.

Athletic Bilbao's second away victory of the season took them away from the relegation zone and virtually assured them of first division football next year. A string of bad results, including three losses in a row in their last three games, had taken them down to within a few points of the bottom three and had put in doubt Txetxu Rojo's continuity at the club. They were fortunate then to come up against a Rayo Vallecano side currently going through their worst patch of the season, having dropped out of the top half of the table since being eliminated from the UEFA cup. Rojo was forced to put out a young inexperienced side, missing all three of their international stars for the first time this season, with Guerrero and Etxeberria injured and Urzaiz suspended. Carlos García came back in for his first start in eleven months after recovering from a back operation last summer, interchanging between a defensive and midfield role with Oskar Vales.

Although they had no recognised striker in the side yet again, Bilbao actually got more shots on goal than in previous matches. Keller was forced to make a spectacular save from Tiko early on, and after Ezquerro shot weakly at Keller, the makeshift striker did better a few minutes later to open the scoring for the visitors. Juande Ramos had to replace a limping Michel with Setvalls shortly after the goal, and not happy with his formation nor the performance of his players, he brought on ex Bilbao striker Bolo a few minutes later in place of Mauro, who was only in the side at the expense of the suspended Iván Iglesias. Still Bilbao dominated, with Alkiza on top form keeping Keller on his toes with a long range shot near half time.

Things got worse for the home side just after the hour mark when Poschner got sent off for the fourth time this season for a late knee high tackle on Alkiza. Without him and Michel, Rayo were void of ideas, and only Luis Cembranos gave any semblance of wanting to win this match. Rayo were effectively reduced to nine men when Mingo picked up an injury near the end with all three substitutes already on, and Tiko added to their troubles with a spectacular volley in injury time which went in off Keller's far post. There was still time for Cembranos to pull one back from the penalty spot after referee Muñiz Fernández ruled that Larrazábal had tripped Bolo from behind, the defender picking up a fifth yellow card of the season which will keep him out of the next match. But Rojo, serving out his one match ban in the stands, was safe for another day as his team moved a point and a place above their rivals to eleventh. With a five point gap to tenth placed Villarreal there is little to play for now, and both can start planning for next season.