Espanyol 2 - Valencia 3

Espanyol: Mora; Lopo, Soldevilla, Rotchen, David García; Alex Fernández, Morales (Velamazán 65'); Martín Posse, Palencia (Raúl Vates 70'), Roger (Aganzo 84'); Tamudo. 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres, Ayala, Pellegrino, Fabio Aurelio; Rufete (Baraja 76'), Albelda, Vicente, Aimar (Salva 46'); Mista, Ilie (Anglomá 82'). 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Espanyol: No change / Valencia: Curro Torres, Rufete, Albelda, Mista, Ilie for Anglomá, Carboni, Marchena, De los Santos, Salva.

Goals:
1-0. 24. Palencia. Turned ball past Cañizares after Posse crossed from right.
2-0. 43. Alex. Shot through legs of Cañizares after Roger laid back Tamudo cross.
2-1. 59. Rufete. Touched in after Soldevilla blocked Mista's first shot.
2-2. 63. Rufete. Got ahead of Rotchen to turn Vicente cross past keeper.
2-3. 66. Ilie. Shot in from close range as Salva played ball across from right.

Three goals in a seven minute period in the second half against Espanyol helped Valencia to their first away win in seven months on a cold snowy night in Barcelona. The European sub-champions' manager Rafa Benítez was in danger of losing his job after a string of poor results, and he put out an aggressive line up, leaving Salva and Carew on the bench and bringing in a revolutionary new forward line of Mista and Ilie, with Aimar playing just behind. The bet seemed to have backfired though when the Catalan side took a two goal lead in the first half, Palencia getting the first sliding in on Posse's cross and Alex adding another after Roger had laid back Tamudo's centre from the right. Tamudo himself came close to scoring as well, and only a good save from Cañizares kept him out.

Things looked black for Benítez and he decided to replace Aimar with Salva at half time, Mista dropping back into the gap left by the Argentine international. It proved to be an inspirational move, and after Mista had hit the bar, the youngster set up Rufete for his first goal with his new club. Four minutes later the scores were level, Vicente getting past his marker down the left to swing in a cross which Rufete turned past Mora, and Rufete rounded off a perfect night with a pass in to Salva a couple of minutes later for him to play the ball on to Ilie for the winner. Now it was the turn of Flores to feel the heat, and the demanding fans turned on him and his players as they proved incapable of getting back in the game. Valencia ended the match with ten men after Pellegrino picked up a second booking in injury time, but that didn't take the smile off the face of Benítez as his team rise back up the table.