Villarreal 1 - Athletic Bilbao 0

Villarreal: Viera; Angel, Fuentes, Cygan, Capdevila; Cazorla, Josico (Javi Venta 46'), Marcos Senna, Pires (Matias Fernández 75'); Nihat (Guille Franco 65'), Rossi. 4-4-2.
Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, Aitor Ocio, Amorebieta, Del Horno; Etxeberría (Susaeta 70'), Orbaiz, Javi Martínez (Muñoz 84'), David López; Vélez (Llorente 56'), Aduriz. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Villarreal: Cazorla, Pires for Cani, Matias Fernández / Athletic: Amorebieta, Orbaiz, Vélez for Ustaritz, Muñoz, Susaeta.

Goals:
1-0. 62. Fuentes. Guided header back past Iraizoz from Marcos Senna's cross.

Villarreal stay in second place after a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, their thirteenth victory in their last fourteen league games. Despite the scoreline there were many chances, with Aduriz going close a couple of times for the visitors and David López bringing a good save out of Viera, and Cygan, Rossi and Cazorla all failing to find the target before the break.

Early in the second half Iraizoz had to keep out Rossi, but a few minutes later Pires shot against the post, and the rebound fell to Senna for him to cross in for Fuentes to head past the visiting keeper. Capdevila had a goal disallowed soon afterwards for a previous foul, and Ocio and Rossi both forced late saves out of the respective keepers.