Valladolid 2 - Celta 4

Valladolid: Ricardo; Ricchetti, Peña (Eusebio 46'), Caminero (Gaspar 80'), Mario, Marcos; Fernando Sales, Jesús, Fernando, Chema (Cuauhtèmoc Blanco 67'); Tote. 5-4-1.
Celta: Pinto; Coira, Cáceres, Sergio (Méndez 36'), Sylvinho; Luccin, Vagner; Karpin (Giovanella 65'), Mostovoi, Gustavo López (Juanfran 71'); Catanha. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Valladolid: Ricchetti, Mario, Chema for Torres Gómez, Gaspar, Luis García / Celta: Pinto, Sergio, Vagner, Karpin for Cavallero, Méndez, Giovanella, Edu.

Goals:
0-1. 08. Sergio. Following up after free kick blocked by defence.
1-1. 31. Fernando. Headed Tote free kick past out of position Pinto.
1-2. 35. Catanha. Beat keeper from right of area after Mostovoi put him through.
1-3. 49. Catanha. At second attempt after first shot hit post following long run.
2-3. 69. Fernando (penalty). After Méndez cut out Tote's pass with hand.
2-4. 75. Catanha. Run from halfway line to beat keeper at second attempt.

Celta moved back in to the top six after a much needed victory over a direct rival for the UEFA cup spots, Valladolid. Catanha was the hero of the night for the Gallicians with a hat-trick, although he was only playing after the appeals committee suspended at the last minute a two match ban which was imposed earlier in the week for spitting at Málaga's Fernando Sanz. Catanha's inclusion meant that Edu dropped to the subs' bench, with Sergio and Vagner returning after injury, Karpin back after a one match ban and Pinto coming in for Cavallero, who had still not recovered from the shoulder injury picked up after clashing with Zidane the week before. Pepe Moré decided that Ricchetti would be the replacement for the suspended Torres Gómez, with Mario and Chema returning to the side as well. Celta were looking for a result though after only picking up two points in their last five games, and they came out strongly right from the start, with Sergio opening the scoring after Ricardo had saved from Cáceres. Fernando headed an equaliser from Tote's free kick, but four minutes later Catanha restored the lead after Mostovoi set him up.

Moré brought on Eusebio at the break, but the usually reliable Caminero let in Catanha for him to score his second of the night somewhat fortunately, the ball falling kindly for him to bundle it in to the net after his first shot hit the post. With an hour on the clock Celta were left with ten men after Cáceres picked up a second yellow card, and soon afterwards Valladolid got back in the game when Méndez, who replaced the injured Sergio before the break, handled in the area. Fernando stepped up to score his second of the night and his twelfth of the season from the penalty spot, a record which has prompted Real Madrid to consider taking him back in to their squad for next season. For a moment it seemed that the hosts could save a point, but Catanha's persistence paid off with a quarter of an hour to go with a third individualist goal to put the result beyond doubt. Celta's good record in Pucela continues with their third win in a row at the Nuevo Zorrilla stadium, and Valladolid fall to their first home defeat since mid-October. They drop a place to tenth, now six points behind their opponents and a possible place in Europe for next season.