Copa del Rey, semi finals first leg

The second semi-final is finely poised after Espanyol came back from a goal down to beat Deportivo 2-1. Medina Cantalejo upset the local fans when he awarded the Galicians a dubious penalty after Arizmendi fell theatrically in the area under a challenge from Lopo in the fifth minute, Rubén Castro converting the resulting spot kick. But the referee made up for it after the break when he gave the hosts a penalty at the other end after the ball hit Andrade on the arm from point blank range, Luis García the scorer this time. Depor were left with ten men on the hour mark when Coloccini was sent off for a high challenge on Jofre, but they held on until the last minute when Pandiani picked up a loose ball to beat his ex team mate Molina and give the Catalans the edge for the second leg. (09.02.06)

An extraordinary result in the first semi-final, with Zaragoza running out 6-1 winners over Real Madrid to virtually secure their place in the final. Diego Milito was the hero of the night with four goals, the first after picking up a cross from Ewerthon on the quarter hour mark. Twenty minutes later the Argentinian striker already had a hat-trick, his second goal coming after a quick throw-in and the third with a header from Cani's free kick. Baptista headed one back before the break from Beckham's floated free kick, but Milito got his fourth with another header from Cani's corner ten minutes after the restart. And Ewerthon chipped in with two more, the first after Milito set him up and the second with a spectacular dipping shot, to put an emphatic end to Madrid's run of seven wins in a row. (08.02.06)