Valencia 2 - Deportivo 2

Valencia: Hildebrand; Miguel (Joaquín 70'), Raúl Albiol, Iván Helguera, Caneira; Sunny (Edu 77'), Banega; Arizmendi, David Silva (Vicente 70'), Mata; David Villa. 4-2-3-1.
Deportivo: Dudu Aouate; Manuel Pablo, Lopo, Pablo Amo, Coloccini, Filipe; Wilhelmsson, Sergio (Antonio Tomás 83'), De Guzmán, Lafita (Juan Rodríguez 61'); Xisco (Riki 73'). 5-4-1.

Team changes: Valencia: Miguel, Sunny, Arizmendi for Moretti, Maduro, Joaquín / Deportivo: Sergio, Xisco for Antonio Tomás, Bodipo.

Goals:
1-0. 16. Mata. Turned ball in on far post after Aouate saved Arizmendi header.
2-0. 21. David Villa. Steered header past keeper from Arizmendi cross.
2-1. 36. Sergio. Long ball into area which curled over keeper into net.
2-2. 44. Lafita. Got on end of Wilhelmsson cross to shoot in off crossbar.

Valencia slipped further away from the European places after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Deportivo in the Mestalla stadium. Within twenty minutes Ronald Koeman's side were two up, Mata getting the first after Aouate saved an Arizmendi header, and David Villa making it two from Arizmendi's cross. And it could have been more had the referee not turned down an early appeal for a penalty after Filipe handled in the area.

But Sergio got one back with a long shot over the head of Hildebrand, and Lafita equalised on the stroke of half time, turning Wilhelmsson's cross in off the bar. And after the break the Galicians could have taken the lead, Xisco, Pablo Amo and Filipe all firing shots wide and De Guzman testing Hildebrand with a long shot.

Koeman made three changes in an attempt to restore control, but Hildebrand had to be at his best to save from Coloccini late on. Valencia are now six points off the UEFA Cup spots, and Depor inch further away from the danger zone, now two above the bottom three.