Valencia 0 - Villarreal 3

Valencia: Cañizares; Miguel (Gavilán 46'), Raúl Albiol, Marchena, Moretti; Albelda (Sunny 68'), Baraja; Joaquín, Angulo (Morientes 46'), David Silva; David Villa. 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Viera; Javi Venta, Fuentes, Cygan, Capdevila; Cazorla, Josico, Marcos Senna, Pires (Cani 68'); Rossi (Nihat 76'), Tomasson (Matias Fernández 60'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
0-1. 16. Tomasson. Ran on to Javi Venta pass and rounded keeper to score.
0-2. 62. Rossi (penalty) After Marchena tripped Mati Fernández inside area.
0-3. 73. Cazorla. Picked up Mati Fernandéz pass and struck angled shot into net.

An action packed derby to start the season at Valencia, where Quique Flores's side lost 0-3 to neighbours Villarreal. Tomasson got the first goal on the quarter hour mark, running on to Javi Venta's through ball to draw Cañizares and score, and before the break the locals were left with ten men when David Villa picked up two bookings, one for protesting and one for diving in the area.

Tomasson and Cazorla could have increased the lead either side of half time, and the locals hardly tested Viera despite bringing on Morientes and Gavilán at the interval. Pellegrini had to change Tomasson due to an eye injury, but his replacement Mati Fernández was only on the park for two minutes when he won a penalty after Marchena brought him down, Rossi converting the kick for his first goal in Spanish football.

Three minutes later it was game over when Joaquín got himself sent off for insulting referee Pérz Lasa, and soon afterwards Matí Fernández found Cazorla for him to make it three. Villarreal had extended their run of consecutive wins to nine, and they had clocked up their best ever win in the Mestalla stadium into the bargain. Roll on Real Madrid next week!