First Division - Day 26

Villarreal 1 - Espanyol 0

Villarreal: Diego López; Ángel, Godín, Fuentes, Capdevila; Cazorla (Bruno 46'), Marcos Senna (Eguren 78'), Ibagaza, Cani; Nihat, Llorente (Guille Franco 62'). 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Kameni; Chica, Jarque, Pareja, David García; Sergio Sánchez, Lola (Rufete 50'); Luis García (Coro 90'), De la Peña, Nené; Tamudo (Iván Alonso 64'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Villarreal: Ángel, Marcos Senna, Ibagaza, Nihat, Llorente for Javi Venta, Eguren, Mati Fernández, Pires, Rossi / Espanyol: Chica, Lola, Tamudo for Moisés Hurtado, Román, Iván Alonso.

Goals: 1-0. 20. Fuentes. Steered header past Kameni from Ibagaza corner.

Yellow cards: Ángel 35', Godín 65', Guille Franco 74'.

Villarreal consolidate fourth spot after a 1-0 victory over struggling Espanyol. Fuentes got the only goal midway through the first half, heading in an Ibagaza corner. But otherwise they had Diego López to thank for the three points, the keeper making several important saves including one early on from his own defender which he just managed to catch on the line in the opening minutes.

Diego was in action soon after the restart to keep out a Luis García header, and Tamudo fired another chance over the top. Kameni did well to stop Nihat at the other end, but the visitors should have equalised after Godín tripped Nené in the area, Luis García firing the resulting penalty against the bar. But after the local keeper made another important save from Jarque's header, their challenge ended, and the large contingent of travelling fans went home disappointed.