Las Palmas 3 - Villarreal 2

Las Palmas: Orlando Quintana; Edu Alonso, Schurrer, Alvaro, Angel; Samways, Jayo (Rubén 59'); Jorge, Josico, Carmelo (Pablo Lago 55'); Orlando (Olías 65'). 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: López Vallejo; Galván (Xavi Roca 80'), Unai, Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena; Amor (Jorge López 77'), Galca; Guayre, Víctor, Calleja; Pizzi (Craioveanu 65'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Las Palmas: Jorge, Carmelo for Paqui, Pablo Lago / Villarreal: Galván, Unai, Guayre for Xavi Roca, Ballesteros, Cagna.

Goals:
0-1. 03. Víctor (penalty). After Schurrer fouled Víctor himself in area.
1-1. 30. Jorge (penalty). Following foul by Pizzi on Jayo.
2-1. 31. Samways. Powerful shot into top corner from outside of area.
2-2. 36. Unai. Headed past keeper following corner.
3-2. 76. Pablo Lago. Dribbled past two defenders before scoring from close up.

Ten man Las Palmas came from a goal down to record a vital 3-2 victory against relegation rivals Villarreal. Both teams started the day in a group of eight sides separated by two points at the bottom, with Villarreal having not won in six games and Las Palmas with only one win in the last ten. Fernando Vázquez was missing the suspended Paqui, but Jorge was back after injury and the manager had a strange dilemma, which of his youngsters to leave out as the league rules do not allow more than four players with so called 'amateur' status. Last season was the only time that these two sides have met in the first division at the Insular stadium, and the visitors ran out 1-5 winners in that match. This time they also struck early, Víctor converting a third minute penalty after Schurrer brought him down in the area.

However there was to be no repeat, and the Canary Islanders came back with two goals in a minute around the half hour mark, the first a Jorge penalty after Pizzi brought down Jayo, and the second a powerful shot from Samways from outside of the area, the English midfielder's first goal of the season. Five minutes later Villarreal were back level, Unai heading home a corner, and they seemed to be on top when Schurrer received his marching orders after picking up a second booking with just over an hour on the clock. However with ten men the hosts came back, and substitute Pablo Lago scored the winner with a quarter of an hour to go to leave Villarreal manager Víctor Muñoz back in the firing line.