Villarreal 2 - Gimnastic Tarragona 0

Villarreal: Barbosa; Josemi, Cygan (Quique Alvarez 16'), Fuentes, Arruabarrena; Cani, Marcos Senna, Josico (Tacchinardi 66'), Riquelme; Diego Forlán, Guille Franco (Marcos García 74'). 4-4-2.
Nàstic: Rubén Pérez; Cuéllar, Cáceres, David García, Mingo; Buades (Pinilla 63'); Campano, Generelo (Morales 46'), Juan Díaz, Gil (Ismael Irurzun 63'); Portillo. 4-1-4-1.

Team changes: Villarreal: Josemi, Riquelme, Guille Franco for Javi Venta, José Marí, Marcos García / Nàstic: Juan Díaz for Pinilla.

Goals:
1-0. 23. Fuentes. Got above defence to head Riquelme free kick past keeper.
2-0. 29. Guille Franco. Turned ball in close to goal from Arruabarrena square pass.

Villarreal moved back to within a point of the UEFA cup spots after a 2-0 victory over bottom club Gimnàstic. Riquelme returned to the line up after missing the last couple of matches, and within a couple of minutes he had already tested Rubén Pérez with a free kick. Diego Forlán had a strike ruled out for a borderline offside a few minutes later, and Portillo headed a first chance for the visitors over the bar soon afterwards.

The locals took the lead though midway through the first half when Fuentes got above the defence to head home another Riquelme free kick, and within six minutes Guille Franco made it two from close up after a passing move involving Cani and Arruabarrena, the Mexican striker's first goal since returning from a serious back injury.

Nàstic were under new management after Paco Flores took over from Luis César midweek, and they put up a better performance in the second half, Gil heading just over the top and Pinilla and Portillo both going close. But they were unable to break through a well ordered defence, and Marcos García could have increased the lead late on had his shot not hit Forlán as it was going into the net. A comfortable win though for the hosts, and Nàstic are further in trouble having not won now in thirteen games.