Málaga 0 - Valencia 2

Málaga: Arnau; Jesús Gámez, Helder Rosario, Weligton, Calleja; De Barros, Lolo; Adrián, Duda (Juan José Luque 74'), Eliseu (Cheli 66'); Baha (Salva 74'). 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Renan; Miguel, Raúl Albiol, Alexis, Del Horno (Moretti 68'); Manuel Fernandes (Edu 46'), Albelda; Pablo Hernández (Joaquín 48'), Angulo, Mata; David Villa. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Málaga: Helder Rosario, Lolo, Adrián, Eliseu for Cuadrado, Nacho, Miguel Ángel, Albert Luque / Valencia: Del Horno, Albelda, Pablo Hernández, Angulo for Moretti, Edu, Joaquín, Morientes.

Goals:
0-1. 70. Villa. Got ahead of defence to head Mata cross into net from close up.
0-2. 91. David Villa. Picked up pass from left and ran on to shoot past Arnau.

Yellow cards: Fernandes 17', Del Horno 30', Alexis 45', Weligton 78', Edu 90' / red cards: Salva 88'.

Valencia moved ahead of Villarreal to the top of the table after a 2-0 victory at Málaga. The locals have not scored a goal all season, and they hardly troubled Renan in the visiting goal all night. Valencia could have taken the lead though in the first half, Manuel Fernandes firing a long free kick against the post and David Villa firing the rebound wide.

Málaga's only real chance fell early in the second half, Renan pushing out a shot from Adrián only as far as Baha in front of goal. The striker missed his kick though, allowing Albelda to clear off the line. And they paid the price a few minutes later when Mata picked up the ball on the edge of the area after Villa's shot had been saved, the forward whipping the ball back across for Villa to head in from close range.

Tapia brought on Salva for his first appearance since recovering from an injury, but within fifteen minutes he was off again, red-carded for a heavy tackle on Edu. And with the game already in injury time Villa wrapped things up, Mata again the provider with a pass from the halfway line which the striker ran on to to beat Arnau for the second time.