Spanish La Liga

Cruise for Valladolid

Goals from Javi Guerra and Oscar Gonzalez either side of the break saw Valladolid defeat Real Zaragoza 2-0 in a game marred by both injuries and heavy rain.

Three players limped from the field in a scrappy game in which both sides struggled to create chances in difficult conditions.

For Valladolid it was a second consecutive home win that moves them into 10th place in the Primera Division table with a haul of 28 points while Zaragoza remain in 13th place and only four points clear of the relegation zone.

New signing Jose Fernandez, who arrived from Cordoba this week, made his debut at right-back for the visitors in an inexperienced defence, so it was no surprise that Valladolid dominated from the start.

Guerra had already hit the post with a header by the time he broke the deadlock in the 12th minute. Oscar cushioned a corner into his path and the forward turned quickly in the area to grab his second goal of the season.

In the 20th minute Valladolid lost influential German winger Patrick Ebert, who had only returned from a month's absence last week, with what appeared to be another muscular problem.

Zaragoza had the same bad luck only minutes later when central midfielder Apono limped from the field and, with arguably the most creative player missing from either side, the game lacked a bit of spark from then on.

Zaragoza centre-half Glenn Loovens was also forced to leave the pitch in a stop-start first period.

Guerra should have doubled the lead after 38 minutes but blasted over from close range after Zaragoza goalkeeper Roberto had blocked a long-range drive from Alvaro Rubio.

Valladolid continued to dominate proceedings throughout the second half and Oscar wrapped up a deserved win when he met a Carlos Pena cross to shoot home with 16 minutes remaining.