Mallorca 1 - Villarreal 2

Mallorca: Leo Franco; David Cortés, Lussenhoff, Fernando Niño, Poli; Campano (Delibasic 46'), Pereyra (Nagore 59'), Marcos, Correa (Nené 52'); Jesús Perera, Eto'o. 4-4-2.
Villarreal: Reina; Javi Venta, Quique Alvarez, Coloccini, Arruabarrena; Marcos Senna, Josico; Guayre, José Marí (Pedro Martí 72'), Roger (Calleja 61'); Víctor (Verza 91). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Mallorca: No change / Villarreal: Coloccini, Arruabarrena, Guayre, Roger for Belletti, Ballesteros, Riquelme, Calleja.

Goals:
0-1. 38. Quique Alvarez. Got ahead of defence to poke Senna free kick into net.
1-1. 45. Eto'o (penalty). After Quique Alvarez ruled to have handled in the area.
1-2. 79. Pedro Martí. From Josico pass after Leo Franco blocked effort from Víctor.

Villarreal kept alive their hopes of reaching the UEFA cup spots after they beat Mallorca, who drop to within two points of the relegation zone as a result. Visiting manager Paquito rested several key players for next Thursday's UEFA cup semi-final with Valencia, but they still took the lead when Quique Alvarez poked home Senna's free kick late in the first half. Both keepers had been in action before that, Leo Franco saving from Víctor early on and Reina stopping an effort from Eto'o, but Eto'o finally beat him from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time after referee Mejuto González ruled that Quique Alvarez had deliberately handled the ball in the area, a harsh decision as the defender was challenging for a high ball at the time.

Luis Aragonés threw on attacking players Delibasic and Nené at the start of the second half, and Jesús Perera brought a good save out of Reina a few minutes later. But with just over ten minutes to go Pedro Martí was in the right place to drive the ball back in to the net from Josico's pass after Leo Franco had parried a shot from Víctor, and the visitors were in front. With the game coming to an end Mallorca were thrown a lifeline when Turienzo gave a second penalty in the last minute, this time for a foul by Reina on Delibasic. But the keeper guessed correctly to save Eto'o's kick, the fifth penalty the young keeper has stopped this season. The Camerooni striker left the field in tears, consoled by Reina and by infamous linesman Rafa Guerrero. His miss might have cost his side their place in the top flight.