Valencia 2 - Betis 0

Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres, Ayala, Marchena, Garrido; Rufete (Jorge López 22'), Baraja (Sissoko 89'), Albelda, Vicente; Angulo (Aimar 46'), Mista. 4-4-2.
Betis: Prats; Tais, Melli (Varela 46'), Rivas, Luis Fernández; Marcos Assunçao (Ismael 68'), Arzu, Benjamín; Joaquín, Denilson (Alfonso 53'); Dani. 4-3-2-1.

Team changes: Valencia: Baraja, Albelda, Rufete, Mista for David Navarro, Sissoko, Jorge López, Oliveira / Betis: Rivas, Luis Fernández, Arzu, Denilson for Juanito, Varela, Ismael, Alfonso.

Goals:
1-0. 35. Curro Torres. Controlled Baraja's pass and shot wide of Prats.
2-0. 48. Baraja. Latched on to Aimar's pass to curl shot past keeper.

Valencia took a big step closer to a second league title in three years after beating Betis 2-0. Real Madrid's defeat the day before means that Rafa Benítez's side are now four points clear at the top with three games to play, and they also have a better head-to-head record over their rivals. Third placed Barcelona are their only other threat, but they are a point behind Madrid and although the head-to-head record is tied, Valencia's goal difference is far superior to the Catalans'.

The manager put out a full strength side despite an important UEFA cup semi-final next Thursday, only missing the injured Carboni and also Aimar, who is not fully fit yet after his injury and who started the game on the substitutes' bench. And they got off to a good start, coming close to scoring three times in a brief period early on when Rivas, Melli and Prats cleared efforts from Mista (twice) and Angulo off the line. Ten minutes before half time the pressure finally paid off, Denilson failing to cut out Baraja's pass allowing Curro Torres to shoot past Prats and score his first goal of the season.

Shortly before half time there was some consternation when Melli was carried off wearing a neck brace after being knocked unconscious on the pitch, but the young defender recovered enough to play out the last couple of minutes before Víctor Fernández changed him as a precaution at the break. Benítez also made a substitution, bringing on Aimar for Angulo, and within three minutes he had made his mark, setting up Baraja for him to curl a shot past Prats for his side's second of the night.

Up to that point Betis's only effort on goal had been an early Assunçao free kick, and Víctor brought on Alfonso and then Ismael, reverting to his more normal formation after starting with three defensive midfielders. For a brief while things improved, and Dani tested Cañizares later in the half. But the result was not in danger, and if results go their way the Chés could even be crowned champions as early as next weekend.