Numancia 1 - Villarreal 1

Numancia: Juanma; Juanpa, Otxoa, Tarantino, Graff (Miguel Pérez 46'); Ros (Pablo Sanz 46'), Palacios; Velasco (Tevenet 59'), Carlos Merino, Juanlu; Miguel. 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Reina; Javi Venta, Gonzalo Rodríguez, Peña, Arruabarrena; Cazorla (Héctor Font 68'), Marcos Senna, Josico, Riquelme; José Marí (Figueroa 64'), Diego Forlán (Guayre 83'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Numancia: Palacios for Pignol / Villarreal: Josico for Sorín.

Goals:
0-1. 27. Riquelme. Got on the end of José Marí pass to shoot low past Juanma.
1-1. 60. Carlos Merino. Got ahead of marker to turn Miguel Pérez in on near post.

Villarreal drop a place to fourth after they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom club Numancia in a frozen Pajaritos stadium. Pellegrini's side started strongly, with José Marí going close twice, and Riquelme put them ahead shortly before the half hour mark after connecting with José Marí's cross to fire a shot past Juanma.

José Marí and Arruabarrena very nearly increased the lead when they both hit the woodwork in one attack later in the first half, but after that the home side were on top, Reina doing well to keep out Juanlu after the restart. And on the hour mark Carlos Merino levelled the scores when he turned a cross from half time substitute Miguel Përez past the keeper.

After that either side could have won it, although the locals came closest when Tevenet rattled the bar from a free kick soon after Merino's goal, and Reina had to keep out a header from Miguel near the end. Figueroa came on for the visitors and caused some problems for Numancia's defence, and Juanma saved well from a Forlán header before he was replaced by Guayre. But in the end a point each, which extends the home side's unbeaten run to four games.