Olympiakos 1 - Deportivo La Coruña 0

Olympiakos: Nikopolidis; Pantos, Anatolakis, Schurrer, Venetidis; Rivaldo (Maric 85'), Kafes (Georgatos 87'), Stoltidis, Djordjevic; Giovanni, Okkas (Georgiadis 57'). 4-4-2.
Deportivo: Molina; Manuel Pablo, César, Pablo Amo, Romero; Scaloni (Mauro Silva 78'), Duscher (Pandiani 70'); Munitis, Valerón, Fran (Changui 87'); Luque. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 68. Djordjevic. Ran on to Rivaldo pass and struck low shot wide of Molina.

Disappointment for Deportivo La Coruña, who find themselves without a chance of even playing in the UEFA cup after a 1-0 defeat at Olympiakos left them clearly at the bottom of their group. With several key players missing, including the injured Tristán, Pandiani, Mauro Silva, Sergio and Víctor and the suspended Andrade, Javier Irureta was forced to put out a makeshift side. And they were lucky not to fall behind in the opening minutes when Okkas broke free but struck his shot straight at Molina.

There was anger from the Spanish camp directed at referee Terje Hauge after the failed to send off ex Depor defender Schürrer when he cut out a high pass with his hand as Luque was running in on goal, and then when Kafes controlled the ball with his arm before striking a shot against the crossbar, and Rivaldo was also lucky to stay on the park after catching a defender with a flying elbow near to the break.

But only Luque was showing any form, and Nikopolidis had to be at his best to keep out a shot and then a dangerous free kick either side of half time. Most action though was at the other end, and Molina saved well from Stoltidis and Giorgiadis. And just after the bad news came through that Monaco were winning against Liverpool, a deflected pass fell kindly for Rivaldo, who slid the ball through for Djordjevic to score.

That was virtually the end of Deportivo's hopes, but Irureta decided to risk bringing on Pandiani and Mauro Silva just in case, even though neither was fully fit. In the last minute a third substitute Changui came close to scoring when Nikopolidis dropped the ball at his feet, but his shot from a wide angle was cleared away from the line by Anatolakis. It wouldn't have changed the outcome, but it would have at least been a first goal this season in the Champions' League for the Galicians. But not even that, and Deportivo are out after five seasons in a row of reaching the second stage of the competition.