Valladolid 2 - Athletic Bilbao 0

Valladolid: Bizzarri; Torres Gómez, Julio César, Peña (Caminero 66'), Marcos; Jesús, Sousa (Zapata 76'); Fernando Sales, Oscar González (Ricchetti 60'), Chema; Makukula. 4-2-3-1.
Athletic: Aranzubia; César, Lacruz, Karanka, Del Horno; Iraola (Merino 46'), Gurpegui, Tiko, Javi González (Ezquerro 46'); Etxeberría, Urzaiz (Jonan García 66'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Valladolid: Oscar González for Ricchetti / Athletic: Javi González for Ezquerro.

Goals:
1-0. 16. Sousa. Finished off after Chema's header bounced down off bar.
2-0. 54. Makukula. Header down from Sousa cross which Del Horno tried to clear.

Valladolid put an end to their run of three losses in a row with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao. The Pucelanos were far superior to their rivals, and took the lead on the quarter hour mark when Chema headed a Torres Gómez cross onto the bar. The ball appeared to bounce just over the line, but Sousa finished off from close up just in case, and referee Lizondo Cortés awarded the goal to him in his report.

The Basques hardly reacted though, and their first and only shot on target in the first half came from Tiko near the interval. Makukula could have extended the lead either side of half time, heading wide and then having another effort saved by Aranzubia, but eventually did get his name on the scoresheet under controversial circumstances, Lizondo ruling that his header had bounced down over the line before Del Horno cleared it away.

Valverde had made two changes at the break and brought on youngster Jonan after the second goal, but it made little difference and Valladolid could have won by a bigger margin had Sousa and Zapata not put shots wide when through on goal late on. Athletic's only reply was a possible penalty appeal when Julio César brought down Ezquerro, but Lizondo didn't want to know. A poor performance from the visitors after five games without defeat, and they drop out of the UEFA cup spots as a result.