Valencia 1 - Recreativo Huelva 1

Valencia: Hildebrand; Caneira, Raúl Albiol, Marchena (Arizmendi 83'), Moretti; Maduro, Banega; Joaquín, David Silva (Baraja 81'), Mata (Vicente 74'); David Villa. 4-2-3-1.
Recreativo: Sorrentino; Edu Moya, Iago Bouzón, Quique Alvarez, Dani Bautista; Carlos Martins (Varela 80'), Jesús Vázquez; Camuñas, Gerard (Zahinos 70'), Aitor; Sinama-Pongolle (Marco Rubén 72'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Valencia: Mata for Iván Helguera / Recreativo: Iago Bouzón, Quique Alvarez, Dani Bautista, Gerard for Beto, Martín Cáceres, Poli, Varela.

Goals:
1-0. 38. Mata. Picked up Banega diagonal pass and struck shot across keeper.
1-1. 52. Martins. Fired angled shot into far top corner of net from outside area.

Valencia are now four points off the top six after they could only draw 1-1 with Recreativo, and they have still only picked up 14 points out of a possible 36 at home. Ronald Koeman's side dominated the first half, with Sorrentino having to save from Zigic, Silva and Zigic again before Mata picked up a pass from Banega to open the scoring shortly before half time.

Joaquín went close either side of half time, but Martins silenced the home crowd with a pile-driver from outside of the area to level the scores after the restart. The locals wasted several chances to win the game after that, Zigic in particular missing a couple of times, shooting wide with the keeper on the ground and then heading wide with the goal at his mercy.

A disappointing result, and now the season's salvation appears to depend on the cup, with a tricky visit to the Nou Camp on Wednesday in the first leg of the semi-finals.