Valencia 3 - Espanyol 2

Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres, Ayala, Moretti, Del Horno; Raúl Albiol, Marchena; Joaquín, Angulo (David Silva 68'), Vicente (Hugo Viana 75'); David Villa (Guerra 84'). 4-2-3-1.
Espanyol: Kameni; Lacruz (Zabaleta 67'), Torrejón, Jarque, Chica; Rufete (Corominas 81'), Moisés Hurtado, De la Peña, Riera; Luis García (Pandiani 75'), Tamudo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Valencia: Curro Torres, Ayala, Moretti, Joaquín, Vicente for Miguel, Albelda, David Navarro, David Silva, Morientes / Espanyol: Torrejón for Velasco.

Goals:
1-0. 12. David Villa. First time volley back past Kameni from Joaquín's cross.
1-1. 14. Riera. Ran on to De la Peña pass and beat Cañizares from wide angle.
2-1. 26. Vicente. Picked up return pass from Villa and beat keeper with angled shot
3-1. 59. Angulo. Got on the end of David Villa cross to score from close up.
3-2. 63. Luis García. Shot from Riera's cross which Cañizares couldn't keep out.

Valencia moved up to third, still six points behind leaders Barcelona, after a 3-2 win over Espanyol. Despite putting out a weakened line up pending their midweek Champions League game, Quique Flores's side dominated the early minutes, with Kameni having to make good saves from Angulo and Joaquín. And in the twelfth minute David Villa got on the end of Joaquín's cross to volley his side into the lead. A defence splitting pass from De la Peña set up Riera to equalise just two minutes later, but Vicente put the Chés back in front midway through the first half after picking up a return pass from Villa.

Tamudo should have levelled the scores soon afterwards when he shot wide after De la Peña sent him away, but Kameni was in action again to keep out a Villa free kick on the stroke of half time. Cañizares saved from Tamudo at the other end minutes after the restart, and Moretti was lucky to be let off a penalty appeal after the ball hit him on the arm. However a few minutes later Joaquín and Villa combined to set up Angulo to score his side's third goal from close up. Luis García scored again for the visitors with a shot which Cañizares could only push away from over the line, and Pandiani wasted a chance to save a point in injury time. But it was not to be, and Espanyol ten match unbeaten run had come to an end.