La Liga Week 36: Valencia - Zaragoza

Silva 1-0

Silva gave Valencia 3 points

Valencia took a giant leap towards guaranteeing that they will be playing top flight football next season with a victory against Real Zaragoza thanks to a single goal from David Silva.

Valencia took a giant leap towards guaranteeing that they will be playing top flight football next season with a victory against Real Zaragoza thanks to a single goal from David Silva.

Los Ché saw their goalscorer sent off late in the second period, but by then the comfort of being five points above the drop zone with two games remaining was far more important.

While the last few minutes were nervy affairs, the home team hung on to leave Zaragoza with a real struggle on their hands to ensure that they remain above Osasuna and Recreativo.

Both teams began the evening too close to the drop zone for comfort and knowing that a victory for either side would give them a huge boost in the race to stay up.

The nerves were evident and the caginess at the start meant that neither side produced much in the way of flowing football and the reasons that they are both near the bottom rather than the top were obvious.

Valencia set themselves up with just one up front as David Villa ploughed a lone furrow and was supported by Silva and it was the same at the other end with Ricardo Oliveira being supported by Sergio García.

Zaragoza had four former Mestalla players in their ranks with Oliveira, Roberto Fabián Ayala and Juanfran starting while Pablo Aimar came off the bench for the second period.

Chances were few and far between in the opening half with only Silva producing a save from César and Villa creating himself before being denied by the keeper.

The one real move of flowing football that either side produced saw the only goal of the game come about in the 21st minute as an incisive pass from Rubén Baraja found Silva and after controlling the ball, he was able to slot it into the far corner of the net.

Midfield was the key area with both teams looking to win the dominance in the central area by employing several players there, but that just led to a restriction of space.

Aimar was brought on at the start of the second half for the visitors and Milito followed him midway through, but still Zaragoza could not produce anything that truly looked set to draw them level.

Gabi did send a stinging drive just wide from distance and Ayala nodded wide from a corner, but it was César who was the busier of the two keepers as the evening wore on.

Villa had two efforts, the second being the better of the pair, but was denied on both occasions by the custodian and in the closing moments Miguel also saw a shot from close range kept out.

Zaragoza continued to press and looked to have been given a chance when Silva was dismissed in the 85th minute for saying too much to the referee when receiving a yellow card.

Unable to find a route to goal the visitors have been left facing two tense matches to save themselves, while los Ché celebrate knowing that they are all-but saved from the drop.