Espanyol 1 - Villarreal 2

Espanyol: Lemmens; Marc Bertrán, Jarque, Lopo, Wome; Domoraud (Alex Fernández 69'), Bastia; Tayfun (Tamudo 56'), Maxi, Bobson; Raúl Molina (Jordi Cruyff 67'). 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Reina; Javi Venta, Quique Alvarez, Ballesteros, Arruabarrena; Calleja (Belletti 61'), Pedro Martí, Riquelme, Roger (Arzo 90'); José Marí, Víctor (Coloccini 66'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Espanyol: Marc Bertrán, Raúl Molina for Torricelli, Jordi Cruyff / Villarreal: Calleja for Guayre.

Goals:
1-0. 11. Maxi. Won ball outside area and hit low shot into corner of net.
1-1. 22. Víctor. Ran on to loose ball to volley shot under Lemmens.
1-2. 91. Riquelme (penalty). After Wome pulled down Belletti in the area.

A hotly contested injury time penalty by their new signing Riquelme gave Villarreal a 1-2 win at Espanyol. Maxi put the Catalans in front in the eleventh minute with a shot from outside the area, but Víctor equalised ten minutes later for the visitors. Raúl Molina felt he should have had a penalty when brought down by Arruabarrena, and Reina made a spectacular save from Lopo following a corner before the break.

The home side kept up the pressure after the restart, with Maxi, Bobson and Domoraud all testing the keeper. The visitors were reduced to ten men when Quique Alvarez was sent off for a second booking, but after that they had their best moments of the match with José Marí forcing a good save out of Lemmens with a header. Tamudo came on for the hosts and was only stopped from hitting the winner by Reina, but with the game heading for a draw, referee Turienzo Alvarez ruled that Wome had brought down Belletti in the area in injury time and Riquelme stepped up to score his first goal for his new club from the spot.