Almería 1 - Valladolid 0

Almería: Cobeño; Bruno, Carlos García, Pulido, Mané; Soriano, Juanito, Corona (Cabrera 80'); Juanma Ortíz (José Ortíz 62'), Negredo (Kalu Uche 76'), Crusat. 4-3-3.
Valladolid: Sergio Asenjo; Pedro López, Rafa, García Calvo, Oscar Sánchez; Sisi, Alvaro Rubio, Vivar Dorado, Jonathan Sesma (Borja 80'); Víctor (Estoyanoff 86'), Llorente. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Almería: Cobeño, Bruno, Juanito, Corona for Diego Alves, López Rekarte, Felipe Melo, Kalu Uche / Valladolid: Oscar Sánchez for Marcos.

Goals:
1-0. 75. Negredo. Volleyed shot past keeper after Corona lifted up free kick.

Almería are sitting safely in mid-table at the moment after a 1-0 victory against Valladolid. Both teams were newly promoted this season, and honours were shared in a first half with several chances but no goals. Sisi and Llorente could both have put the visitors ahead had they been able to find the target, but the misso f the day (and probably the season to date) was by Crusat, who picked up Negredo's pass in front of goal with the keeper nowhere to be seen, but somehow shot wide.

The locals started the second half well, Pulido having a goal disallowed and Negredo turning Corona's cross on to the post. The turning point came though with a quarter of an hour to go when García Calvo was sent off for bringing down an opponent as he advanced on goal. From the resulting free kick Corona lifted the ball vertically in the air, and Negredo volleyed an impressive shot wide of young keeper Sergio Asenjo. After that Unai Emery's side ran down the clock, happy to take three points from a direct rival in the fight to avoid an immediate drop back to the second division.