Valladolid 2 - Athletic Bilbao 0

Valladolid: Ricardo; Torres Gómez, Peña, Caminero, Gaspar, Marcos; Fernando Sales, Jesús, Fernando (Eusebio 80'), Chema; Tote (Cuauhtèmoc Blanco 83'). 5-4-1.
Bilbao: Lafuente; Javi González, Lacruz, Larrainzar, Del Horno; Orbaiz (Carlos García 65'), Alkiza (Oscar Vales 82'); Joseba Etxeberria, Tiko, Yeste (Ezquerro 46'); Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Valladolid: Gaspar, Peña, Tote for Tena, Mario, Luis García / Bilbao: Lacruz for Aitor Ocio.

Goals:
1-0. 61. Tote. Held off Larrainzar on right and chipped ball in off Lacruz's head.
2-0. 89. Fernando Sales. Rounded keeper on edge of area and shot into net.

Athletic Bilbao drop out of the top six to seventh after losing 2-0 at Valladolid. The star of the match was the home side's young striker Tote, who returned to the team after injury to score another spectacular goal in the second half. Tote won the ball in the penalty area and, holding off Larrainzar, hit a 'rabona' style ball into the goalmouth which Lacruz deflected with his forehead into his own net. It was the second time this season that he has used this trick to create a goal, and it comes as a welcome relief after going since early November without netting once. Up to that point Valladolid had held the initiative, but the well organised Bilbao defence had limited them to few chances after Marcos had gone close with an early free kick which just cleared the bar. Chema shot just wide after a charging run from the halfway line on the half hour mark, and referee Fernández Marín turned down a penalty appeal after Javi González had brought down Marcos, awarding a free kick just outside the area..

Jupp Heynckes' team were always dangerous on the counterattack though, with a motivated Urzaiz forcing Ricardo into a brilliant one handed save and then seeing another effort stopped by Torres Gómez around halftime. Urzaiz had been criticised by his manager earlier in the week for not trying. But then bogey-man Tote popped up to score again, making it four against the Basques this season after scoring a hat-trick against them in the earlier match at the Nuevo Zorrilla stadium. Etxeberria came close to equalising soon afterwards when Jesús cleared his shot off the line, but Fernando Sales added a second individualist goal running on to round Lafuente and fire into an empty net right at the end. The 'Pucelanos' stay in ninth place, but draw level with Alavés and close up to within three points of the European spots. The Lions go home disappointed after their three match unbeaten run comes to an end, and having already said they will not register for the Intertoto cup this summer, they have to finish in the top six to be sure of European football next season.