First Division - Day 31

Valencia 3 - Sevilla 1

Valencia: César; Miguel, Raúl Albiol, Marchena, Alexis; Albelda (Vicente 75'), Baraja; Joaquín (Pablo Hernández 55'), David Silva, Mata; David Villa (Morientes 75'). 4-2-3-1.
Sevilla: Palop; Adriano, Squillaci, Escudé, Fernando Navarro; Duscher (Luis Fabiano 85'), Romaric; Jesús Navas (Diego Capel 58'), Renato, Perotti (Mosquera 45'); Kanouté. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Valencia: Miguel, Baraja, Joaquín for Maduro, Michel, Pablo Hernández / Sevilla: Escudé, Duscher, Perotti for Dragutinovic, Maresca, Luis Fabiano.

Goals:
0-1. 09. Escudé. Steered near post header wide of César from Renato corner.
1-1. 45. David Villa (penalty). After Escudé tripped Mata inside penalty area.
2-1. 83. Mata (penalty). After Fernando Navarro handled ball inside area.
3-1. 93. Pablo. Picked up Vicente pass and struck angled shot past Palop.

Yellow cards: Navas 17', Duscher 25', Squillaci 26', Baraja 31', Miguel 34', Mata 62', Navarro 63', Palop 82', Silva 84', Marchena 88', Luis Fabiano 90', Morientes 92', Pablo 93', Kanouté 94' / red cards: Adriano 43'.

Valencia kept up their push for a place in the Champions League spots with a 3-1 victory over Sevilla on Sunday evening. The Andalusians took an early lead when Escudé headed in a Renato corner, but they were left with ten men when Adriano was sent off for a foul on David Villa shortly before the half time whistle. And a minute later things went from bad to worse for the visitors, Villa equalising from the penalty spot after Escudé fouled Mata.

The ten men held on well in to the second half, Palop making important saves from Villa and Mata, and Villa hitting the post. However Mata converted a second penalty after Navarro handled in the area with seven minutes to go, and Pablo Hernández got the third in injury time to take his side to within five points of their opponents in the table.