Almería 2 - Valencia 2

Almería: Diego Alvés; Bruno, Chico, Pellerano, Mané; Julio Alvarez, Juanito; Juanma Ortíz, Corona (Kalu Uche 69'), Piatti (Crusat 64'); Negredo (Natalio 74'). 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Renan; Miguel, Raúl Albiol, Alexis, Moretti; Manuel Fernandes (Edu 70'), Albelda; Pablo Hernández (Angulo 56'), Mata (Morientes 56'), Joaquín; David Villa. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Almería: No change / Valencia: Manuel Fernandes, Joaquín for Baraja, David Silva.

Goals:
1-0. 20. Piatti. Following up after Renan failed to hold shot from Julio Alvarez.
1-1. 35. Alexis. Fired shot past Diego Alves after Albiol laid back corner.
2-1. 39. Negredo. Got above defence to head Bruno cross into top corner of net.
2-2. 68. David Villa. Picked up Joaquín pass and held off Juanito to score.

Almería and Valencia both stay in the top four after drawing 2-2 in the last match on Sunday evening. Both sides won their opening matches, and with Espanyol the only team to take maximum points up to kick off, a victory would have taken either of them to top spot in the table.

It was the home side who went ahead first though, Piatti running the ball in to the net after Renan failed to hold on to a long shot from Julio Alvarez. Piatti went close to increasing the lead minutes later, but ten minutes before the break Alexis equalised after Raúl Albiol played a part cleared corner back in to the box.

Before half time though Almería were back in front, Negredo getting above the defence to guide an impressive header wide of the keeper from Bruno's cross. Pablo Hernández bounced a shot against the bar minutes later, and Diego Alves did well to keep out David Villa soon after the restart. But later in the second half Villa saved the day with a house special, and after that both sides settled for a point.