Villarreal 6 - Racing Santander 3

Villarreal: Reina; Belletti, Quique Alvarez, Ballesteros, Arruabarrena; Josico (Víctor 78'), Pedro Martí; Guayre (Coloccini 91'), Riquelme, José Marí (Javi Venta 85'); Sonny Anderson. 4-2-3-1.
Racing: Ricardo; Cristian Alvarez, Pablo Casar, Juanma, Ayoze; Afek (Jonathan 70'), Matabuena (Pablo Lago 87'); Morán (Anderson Silva 75'), Javi Guerrero, Benayoun; Bodipo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Villarreal: Josico, Riquelme, Sonny Anderson for Coloccini, Battaglia, Víctor / Racing: Juanma, Bodipo for Neru, Regueiro.

Goals:
1-0. 04. Belletti. Ran on to high Josico pass to poke ball past Ricardo.
2-0. 30. Riquelme (penalty). After José Marí brought down in area by Matabuena.
2-1. 34. Benayoun. Collected pass from Guerrero on left and shot across keeper.
3-1. 37. Belletti. Lobbed ball back into net after Ricardo came out of area to clear.
3-2. 55. Alvarez (penalty). After Quique Alvarez tripped Bodipo on edge of area.
4-2. 67. José Marí. Header over top of keeper from Riquelme's corner.
5-2. 71. Anderson. Picked up headed pass from José Marí and fired past Reina.
5-3. 84. Benayoun. Took return pass from Guerrero on right and shot low into net.
6-3. 92. Juanma (own goal). Headed cross from right wing past own keeper.

An incredible match at Villarreal, where the local side ran out 6-3 winners over Racing Santander to move back up over Atlético to the UEFA spots. Belletti scored early on and Riquelme added a second from the penalty spot before Benayoun pulled one back on the half hour mark. Belletti got his second of the night before half time, lobbing the ball back over the head of Ricardo when the keeper got caught out of the area, but Cristian Alvarez narrowed the gap again from the penalty spot after the break, his first goal since joining in the winter.

But José Marí and Sonny Anderson put the game out of reach before Benayoun got his second of the night and Juanma put through his own net in injury time. And there could have been even more goals had Reina not saved from Bodipo early on, and second half substitute Jonathan had had more luck with a couple of free kicks, both of which scraped the crossbar.