Valencia 3 - Betis 2

Valencia: Renan; Miguel, Marchena, Alexis (Raúl Albiol 47'), Moretti; Albelda; Joaquín (Maduro 75'), Baraja, Edu (Manuel Fernandes 40'), Mata; David Villa. 4-1-4-1.
Betis: Casto; Nelson (Diego Segura 85'), Arzu, Juanito, Monzón; Mehmet Aurelio; Damià, Emaná, Capi (Pavone 81'), Juanma; Sergio García. 4-1-4-1.

Team changes: Valencia: Albelda, Edu for Raúl Albiol, Manuel Fernandes / Betis: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 10. David Villa. Fired first time volley past Casto from Edu's cross.
2-0. 20. Mata. Picked up Edu pass and cut past two defenders to score.
2-1. 56. Juanma. Picked up Mehmet return pass and shot inside near post.
2-2. 64. Emaná (penalty). After Marchena sent off for fouling Sergio García.
3-2. 73. Baraja. Ran forward to head Manuel Fernandes free kick in to net.

Yellow cards: Damià 27', Baraja 68', Nelson 72', Juanito 74', Villa 78', Renan 90' / red cards: Marchena 63'.

Valencia moved back above Real Madrid to third place after a battling 3-2 win over Betis. By half time Unai Emery's side appeared to be on their way to a comfortable victory, David Villa volleying them in to the lead in the tenth minute and Mata adding a second after leaving Nelson and Juanito for dead before firing a shot in off the post a few minutes later.

But things changed after the restart, with Juanma picking up a return pass from Mehmet Aurelio to catch out Renan with an angled shot inside the near post ten minutes in to the second half. A few minutes later Sergio García fired in a deflected shot which Raúl Albiol stopped on the line. Miguel and Renan got in each others' way trying to clear and the ball came back to García, who was brought down from behind by Marchena as he lined up to pull the trigger. Referee Velasco Carballo immediately pointed to the spot and sent off Marchena, and Emaná converted the penalty to level the scores.

At that point Betis appeared to be on for a first win in the Mestalla stadium in 23 years. But the Ches had other ideas, and Baraja restored the lead with a header from a Manuel Fernandes free kick a few minutes later. It could have been more, Villa blasting a free kick against the bar near the end. But by then the game was over, and Valencia got a difficult week off to the best possible start.