Celta Vigo 1 - Valencia 1

Celta: Cavallero; Velasco, Cáceres, Berizzo, Sylvinho; José Ignacio, Luccin; Angel (Juanfran 84'), Edu, Jesuli; Catanha. 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Reveillère, Ayala, Pellegrino, Carboni; Albelda, De los Santos (Baraja 80'); Angulo, Mista (Aimar 68'), Kily González; Carew (Juan Sánchez 80'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Celta: Berizzo, Sylvinho, Jesuli, Catanha for Sergio, Juanfran, Mostovoi, Gustavo López / Valencia: Pellegrino, Albelda, Carew for Marchena, Baraja, Juan Sánchez.

Goals:
0-1. 07. Carew. Header on far post from Mista's cross.
1-1. 08. Edu. Turned ball past keeper from Sylvinho free kick.

Valencia missed out on a chance to join Real Madrid at the top of the table after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Celta. Rafa Benítez's side were licking their wounds after their Champions League defeat by Roma, but with no midweek match coming up for once, the manager drafted back some of his first choice players. Celta were missing the suspended Mostovoi and Gustavo López dropped out late on with flu, and with Edu taking over the Russian captain's duties Catanha was recalled up front.

Both goals came early on after slack marking by the respective defences, with Carew heading home a Mista cross in the seventh minute and Edu turning in a Sylvinho free kick a minute later. Apart from that though it was a cautious first half, with nobody really prepared to take the initiative.

After the break though the game opened out, with Celta pushing forward more and Valencia looking for the counter-attack. Catanha headed just wide of Cañizares' goal and Cavallero fisted away a spectacular volley from Kily González as the pace quickened, and Cañizares made the best save of the night from Jesuli.

But even the introduction of Aimar, Baraja and Juan Sánchez could not change the scoreline, and Valencia had to settle for a point which keeps them in third place, albeit still only two points off the leaders. Celta's point keeps them in fifth spot, although they lose ground on the Champions League positions and are now seven points away from fourth placed Deportivo.