Alavés 1 - Villarreal 0

Alavés: Dutruel; Geli, Abelardo, Karmona, Llorens; Edu Alonso, Tomic (Mara 90'), Luis Helguera, Magno (Turiel 83'); Rubén Navarro (Jordi Cruyff 78'), Iván Alonso. 4-4-2.
Villarreal: Reina; Belletti, Quique Alvarez, Ballesteros, Arruabarrena; Guayre (Calleja 69'), Josico, Farinós (Xisco Nadal 83'), Jorge López; Víctor, Palermo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Alavés: Geli, Iván Alonso for Turiel, Ibon Begoña / Villarreal: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 77. Tomic. Took Magno pass on right of area and drove shot into roof of net.

Alavés manager Mané took his side to a local monastery for a couple of days to try and change their form, and it proved a good move as they ended Villarreal's recent good run with a 1-0 victory in a cold Mendizorroza stadium. Benito Floro's team had the best record of anybody in the new year, but they were unable to break down Mané's defensive wall, with a Palermo shot which was deflected by Luis Helguera against the post the nearest they came to scoring in the first half.

The hosts had controlled the game up to that point, with chances falling to Magno, Ribén Navarro and Iván Alonso, but none of them were able to take advantage. It was left to the recently returned Ivan Tomic to show them the way, the Yugoslavian midfielder taking a wide pass from Magno to fire a shot past Reina into the roof of the net. Palermo had had another chance not long before, his bicycle kick sailing way over the bar, and substitute Calleja almost sneaked one past Dutruel in the closing minutes.

But Alavés were not going to let this one go, and they held on to move up level with their opponents in mid table. Mané's international defender Oscar Téllez was not able to celebrate the victory on the pitch though, as he had to watch the game from the stands as he has been suspended from playing until he loses weight.