Betis 2 - Villarreal 3

Betis: Doblas; Melli, Juanito, Nano, Castellini; Marcos Assunçao (Arzu 46'), Rivera; Joaquín, Edu, Xisco (Dani 76'); Oliveira. 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Viera; Javi Venta, Quique Alvarez, Peña, Arruabarrena; Josico, Tacchinardi; Riquelme (Figueroa 88'), José Marí (Cazorla 77'), Sorín (Roger 86'); Diego Forlán. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Betis: Rivera, Xisco for Arzu, Capi / Villarreal: Peña, Arruabarrena for Gonzalo Rodríguez, Cazorla.

Goals:
1-0. 08. José Marí. Picked up Forlán pass and struck deflected shot past Doblas.
1-1. 27. Oliveira. Angled header past Viera from Marcos Assunçao free kick.
1-2. 58. Sorín. Collected pass from Forlán and fired shot into roof of net.
2-2. 60. Venta (own goal). Deflected Joaquín cross over Viera and in to own net.
2-3. 68. Riquelme. Twice taken penalty after Nano pushed José Marí in area.

Villarreal continue their rise up the table, and they moved up to sixth spot after beating Betis 2-3. It was a controversial match though with referee Rubinos Pérez having to have a police escort off the pitch after ordering a retake of the winning penalty and leaving the home side with nine men.

The visitors got off to an electrifying start, with Diego Forlán and Riquelme both bringing good saves out of Doblas before José Marí opened the scoring with a shot which took a deflection off a defender. Oliveira levelled the scores though ith just under half an hour gone when he connected with an Assunçao free kick to head past Viera.

Pellegrini's side restored the lead after the break when Sorín got on the end of a pass by Forlán to shoot in to the top of the net. Only a couple of minutes later though Betis equalised for a second time when Javi Venta turned the ball in to his own net trying to stop Joaquín's cross from reaching Oliveira.

Eight minutes after the goal, tempers flared up when Rubinos awarded a penalty to the visitors after José Marí fell under a challenge from Nano. Joaquín was shown the red card for protesting, but Doblas dived to save Riquelme's spot kick. To the incredulity of the local fans though, the referee ruled that a Betis player had encroached on the area and ordered a retake which Riquelme gratefully tucked away.

Not long afterwards the Andalusians were left with nine men after Rubinos produced another red card, this time to Melli for an insult. And before the end of the match the referee further upset the fans when he disallowed a goal by Nano. Soon afterwards the end came and objects rained down, and Rubinos was shielded off the pitch (his car was later damaged by angry fans when he left the ground). Villarreal had beaten their Champions League rivals though, and they have now picked up 13 points from their last five games.