Athletic de Bilbao 2 - Numancia 1

Athletic: Imanol Etxeberria; Lacruz, Carlos García, Ferreira, Felipe; José Mari, Alkiza; Joseba Etxeberria, Guerrero, Yeste; Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.
Numancia: Nuñez; Jaume, Muñiz, Soria, Octavio; Nagore, Pacheta, Castaño, Rivera; Barbu, Ojeda. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Bilbao: José Mari, Alkiza for Larrazábal, Urrutia / Numancia: Soria, Rivera, Barbu for Iván Rocha, Iñaki, Delgado.

Goals:
1-0. 06. Urzaiz. Etxeberria pulls ball back from right wing for Urzaiz to score.
1-1. 24. Pacheta header from Barbu free kick.
2-1. 77. C. García. Glancing header from free kick which Pacheta heads into net.

Numancia played their first ever match against Athletic Bilbao (the 'A' team at least) in the San Mames stadium, and true to the traditions of the ground whenever a new team visits, they offered up a floral tribute to the bust of Pichichi, the famous Basque striker who gave his name to the trophy for the league's top scorer each year. Not all the Soria based team were new to Bilbao however, with Numancia's manager Goikoetxea returning to the ground where he played for most of his career, and Nagore and Jorge Pérez, on loan from Athletic this season, visiting friends and family at their home club, (Nagore, who has another year to run on his contract with Bilbao, has in fact been given an ultimatum by Luis Fernández who wants him to renew with the club before allowing him to return for next season). Goiko, who was missing the injured Iván Rocha for this game, was up against several old acquaintances, including Joseba Etxeberria, who was given his first international opportunity when the Numancia manager was in charge of the under 20 team some years ago. Etxeberria is now a full international and is currently playing out of his skin, and it was his gallop down the right wing in the sixth minute of the match which lead to the first goal for another current international, Urzaiz, his first goal since the middle of October and only his third in the league this season. The rest of the first half belonged to the visitors however, and it was no surprise when Pacheta scored his third goal in two matches when he met Barbu s free kick to head past Imanol. In fact Numancia could have gone into the lead a minute before half time when Castaño's thunderbolt shot cannoned against the bar, but this time luck was against them and they went in at the break level. Fernández made full use of his substitutes in the first half hour of the second half, replacing youngster Yeste with González, then Alkiza (just back from suspension) with Tiko, and finally Julen Guerrero with Ezquerro. This was the twelfth time that he has taken off the Bilbao captain this season, and this time their supporters showed their anger at the decision with boos and whistles against the coach. Whatever the case, the move worked, and two minutes later they scored the winning goal. It was not a pretty one however, with Pacheta for once heading the ball into the wrong net after Tiko's free kick had been headed on by Carlos García. Goiko protested after the game that referee Llonch Andreu had incorrectly given the free kick, and Fernández also complained that the official had missed at least two penalties on his players. It didn't matter that much as his team now move up to sixth, level on points with Celta and Alavés in fourth and fifth place respectively. Numancia drop down a bit to eleventh, but if they keep up this form they should stay in the top flight next year. However with only nine points separating the fourth and eighteenth placed teams at this late stage in the competition, anything could happen. It would be shame if Numancia were to go as they have made many new friends this year. Fingers crossed.

Valencia 3 - Betis 1

Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Milla, Gerard, Mendieta, Kily González; Ilie, Juan Sánchez. 4-4-2.
Betis: Prats; Otero, Crosa, Bornes, Filipescu; Cañas, Merino, Karhan, Denilson; Alfonso, Oli. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Valencia: Pellegrino, Milla for Bjorklund, Angulo / Betis: Filipescu, Cañas, Oli for Rivas, Gálvez, Cuéllar.

Goals:
1-0. 02. Ilie. Strong shot from outside of the area through a crowded goalmouth.
1-1. 60. Filipescu. incredible mistake by Cañizares who pushed shot into own net.
2-1. 82. Mendieta (penalty). After a foul by Otero on Gerard.
3-1. 85. Farinós. Another shot from outside the area into the top corner of the net. Guus

Hiddink took over at Betis for his first match, and as luck would have it he returned to one of the teams he managed in his time at Spain. He must have realised however the hard job he has ahead of him as his team lost to an off form Valencia, despite being gifted a goal by Spanish international keeper Santiago Cañizares. Hiddink kept to Griguol's basic 4-4-2 line up, but told his players to use the wings more, with the full backs also coming forward when they can. He switched Denilson wide on the left where he can make most damage, and brought in Cañas on the right, who had hardly played under Griguol. Keeper Prats was also told he would not be taking any more free kicks, with this task returning to the outfield players. Héctor Cúper decided not to bring Piojo López into the starting line up after the unsettled striker had only just returned from a week's forced leave which his manager had imposed on him after arguments in the dressing room. He did however start on the bench, and he came on in place of Juan Sánchez halfway through the second half. Veteran midfielder Milla, who has just signed a new one year contract, came back in, as did Pellegrino in defence. Ilie opened the scoring early on from long range, with Cañizares probably unsighted, the Romanian striker's first league goal for over three months. Sánchez wasted a couple of chances in the first half and Denilson came close twice before Cañizares mistake brought the scores level. Cúper was criticised for bringing back Spain's first choice keeper after a long injury with number two keeper Palop playing so well, and on this form it won't be long before Palop is back. Cañizares appeared to misjudge his position and instead of turning Filipescu's shot away for a corner he deflected it into his own goal. It was a pitiful sight seeing the keeper realise his mistake and scramble after the slowly bouncing ball into the net, and the crowd got on his back afterwards. Fortunately for him however it didn't matter, as Valencia got two late goals, including a screamer from substitute Farinós, to take the points and move back up to seventh in the table. Betis, (who have not won in 14 years in Valencia), approach their almost doomed neighbours Sevilla near the bottom (they are now only one point away from the relegation zone), and Hiddink has to roll up his sleeves and get down to work if the city of Sevilla is to have any first division football next year.