Villarreal 2 - Racing Santander 0

Villarreal: Diego López; Angel, Gonzalo, Godín, Capdevila; Marcos Senna (Bruno 85'), Eguren; Cazorla, Nihat (Mati Fernández 73'), Pires (Ibagaza 62'); Llorente. 4-2-3-1.
Racing: Toño; Pinillos (Gonçalves 66'), Garay, Marcano, Christian Fernández (Sepsi 75'); Luccin, Colsa; Valera, Edu Bedia (Juanjo 46'), Oscar Serrano; Tchité. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Villarreal: Angel, Nihat, Pires for Javi Venta, Ibagaza, Guille Franco / Racing: Garay, Luccin, Bedia, Tchité for César Navas, Lacen, Jonathan Pereira, Juanjo.

Goals:
1-0. 28. Capdevila. Got free of marker to head in cross from Angel on far post.
2-0. 32. Llorente. Got ahead of Garay to head Angel's cross wide of keeper.

Yellow cards: Eguren 43', Valera 49', Luccin 54', Godín 56', Pinillos 65', Garay 77', Ibagaza 89', Tchité 89'.

Villarreal top the table pending Thursday's games after a 2-0 victory over Racing Santander gave them ten points from their first four matches. The visitors were looking for points after a difficult start to the season, and Tchité went close as they came forward early on. But with just under half an hour on the clock Capdevila headed in a cross from Angel to open the scoring for the locals, and Llorente got on the end of another Angel cross four minutes later to head home the second.

Eguren and Nihat both failed to hit the target after the restart, but Diego lópez had to be at his best to keep out a couple of efforts from Tchité at the other end. After that though their challenge died out, and Marcos Senna could have increased the lead with a free kick which Toño did well to save. Pellegrini's side have not lost now since April, and this is their best ever start in the first division. Racing ended the day in the drop zone, but having faced the big four already their programme gets a little easier from now on.