Valencia 1 - Villarreal 0

Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres, Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Rufete (Jandro 90'), Albelda, Marchena, Vicente; Juan Sánchez (Serban 72'), Salva Ballesta. 4-4-2.
Villarreal: López Vallejo; Xavi Roca, Unai, Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena (Galván 75'); Jorge López, Amor, Galca (Cagna 60'), Calleja (Guayre 60'); Víctor, Palermo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Valencia: Carboni for Angulo / Villarreal: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 45. Salva. From close range after Juan Sánchez and Curro Torres set him up.

Valencia moved up to the top six with a belaboured victory over local rivals Villarreal. The only goal of the game came from Salva on the stroke of half time after Curro Torres took a return pass from Juan Sánchez to set him up in front of goal. Valencia had dominated the first half, with Vicente hitting the bar early on and López Vallejo punching out a long shot from Sánchez a few minutes later. Villarreal's first shot at goal came from Víctor late in the first half, and the striker brought a good save out of Cañizares after the restart. It was not enough to save a point though, and Valencia go level with their opponents on thirteen points, well within reach of the top spots. Referee Pérez Burrull dished out eight yellow cards as the game degenerated near the end, including fifth cards of the season for Villarreal's Arruabarrena and Quique Alvarez, both of whom will miss the next match.