Albacete 2 - Villarreal 2

Albacete: Gaspercic; Oscar Montiel, Buades, Rubén, Peña; Alvaro Rubio, Jaime (David Sánchez 63'); Redondo (Francisco 63'), Pacheco, Mark González; Rubén Castro (Mikel 51'). 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Reina; Javi Venta, Gonzalo Rodríguez, Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena; Héctor Font, Josico, Riquelme, Sorín (Marcos Senna 63'); Guayre (José Marí 73'), Diego Forlán (Armando Sá 79'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Albacete: Oscar Montiel, Mark González, Rubén Castro for Gaspar, Momo, Mikel / Villarreal: Javi Venta, Héctor Font, Sorín, Diego Forlán for Armando Sá, Cazorla, Peña, Lucho Figueroa.

Goals:
1-0. 15. Pacheco. Fired ball wide of Reina after Redondo crossed in from right.
1-1. 32. Diego Forlán. Ran on to lob ball over keeper from wide out on right.
1-2. 34. Guayre. Got on the end of Forlán cross to head into far top corner.
2-2. 86. Pacheco. Shot which ballooned off Quique Alvarez past Reina.

Albacete and Villarreal shared the points in an exciting 2-2 draw in the last match of 2004 at the Carlos Belmonte stadium. Although the visitors got off to a lively start, it was the home side who took the lead with a quarter of an hour on the clock when Pacheco beat Reina after good work down the right wing by Montiel and Redondo.

Mark González could have made it two soon afterwards had the keeper not blocked his shot, but Peña came close to scoring in his own net as Villarreal fought back. And by half time Pellegrini's side turned the scoreline around, Diego Forlán lobbing Gaspercic from wide on the right (the referee deciding that Guayre's final touch was already over the line) and Guayre himself connecting with Forlán's cross to head into the far top corner of the net.

José González made three changes early in the second half, and his side started to take control. However they were unable to convert their chances, Mikel in particular heading over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Villarreal were left with ten men though when Arruabarrena was sent off a quarter of an hour from the end, and the hosts finally equalised when Pacheco's shot deflected off Quique Alvarez and ballooned up into the net. And Buades could have won it for his side soon afterwards when his header hit the post with the keeper beaten.