Racing Santander 2 - Valencia 1

Racing: Lemmens; Coromina, Moratón, Pablo Casar, Neru; Diego Mateo, Ismael; Benayoun (Nafti 80'), Javi Guerrero (Txiki 70'), Munitis; Bodipo (Diego Alonso 75'). 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Reveillère, Ayala, Pellegrino, Carboni (Jaime Gabilán 65'); Rufete, Baraja, De los Santos (Mista 74'), Fabio Aurelio; Carew (Juan Sánchez 46'), Angulo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Racing: Bodipo for Txiki / Valencia: Pellegrino, Carboni, De los Santos, Carew for Marchena, Albelda, Aimar, Vicente.

Goals:
1-0. 10. Bodipo. Controlled long Javi Guerrero cross and shot low past keeper.
1-1. 11. Rufete. Ran ball over line after Carew close up shot blocked.
2-1. 24. Bodipo. Picked up Benayoun pass on right to shoot across Cañizares.

Valencia were beaten 2-1 by Racing Santander, their fourth away defeat in a row, and are now in danger of losing their Champions League spot. The man who did the damage was Bodipo, returning to the home side after a one match ban, and he scored twice in the first half to take his side away from the danger zone. There was an exciting start to the game, Benayoun missing an early chance and Angulo hitting the post from a wide angle before Javi Guerrero found Bodipo with a cross from the left wing, the striker heading the ball forward and shooting past Cañizares. Forty seconds later Valencia were level though, Carew's shot blocked at close range by Lemmens but the ball rolling across the line where Rufete finished off.

Fabio Aurelio almost caught Lemmens out with an inswinging corner which bounced off the bar, and Carew should have scored when alone in front of the keeper. But it was the Cantabrians who scored again, Benayoun playing the ball through for Bodipo to fire a shot into the back of the net. After that the action died down, with Baraja and De los Santos both making a hash of free kicks near to goal in the second half. Even so it took a finger tip save from Lemmens in the dying minutes to keep out a long effort from Mista, enough to extend Racing's unbeaten record to five games and to take them comfortably clear of the relegation zone in thirteenth position. Valencia stay ahead of Celta for now on general goal difference, but with a worse head-to-head record against the Gallicians they would finish below them if still level on points at the end of the season.