Numancia 2 - Racing de Santander 1

Numancia: Nuñez; Belsué, Muñiz, Iván Rocha, Octavio; Pacheta, Nagore, Castaño; Barbu; Rubén Navarro, Ojeda. 4-3-1-2.
Racing: Ceballos; Mellberg, Neru, Sietes; Manjarín, Espina, Ismael, Amavisca; Vivar Dorado, Salva, Munitis. 3-4-3.

Numancia kept up their incredible run at home, this time winning against Racing de Santander by the odd goal despite having Iván Rocha sent off by referee López Nieto in the 33rd minute for a second yellow card. Rocha was able to make a contribution before his sending off however, his long free kick from the left touchline in the second minute being met by Pacheta, who headed the ball past Ceballos for the first goal. With Rocha off, it was Pacheta who dropped back to the back four to fill his place, Goiko deciding to make no further changes to his starting line up. At half time Racing's manager Benítez decided to bring on an extra forward, Rushfeldt, in place of Ismael, joining top scorer Salva and Pedro Munitis, who was back in the side after a one match suspension. However without the injured Arzeno in defence, the change left his side short at the back, and Barbu put the home side further into the lead with an extraordinary goal, lobbing the ball past Ceballos from an almost impossible angle on the right goal line. With ten minutes to go Benítez put all his meat in the roaster (another expression we use around here), bringing on Bestchastnykh for defender Sietes. This time the change worked, with Rushfeldt finally beating Nuñez from close range from Espina's pass in the last minute, but time ran out on them and Numancia came away with the points. They have now gone their first eight home games without defeat, a record for any team newly promoted to the first division, but even more meritorious given that this is their first season ever in the top flight. They are now eighth. Racing, who themselves have now gone eight games without a victory, drop right down to 14th, only one point above the relegation zone.

Málaga 0 - Real Sociedad 0

Málaga: Contreras; Bravo, Roteta, Larrainzar, Valcarce; Ruano, De los Santos, Movilla; Luque, Catanha, Edgar. 4-3-3.
Real Sociedad: Alberto; López Rekarte, Loren, Corino, Pikabea, Aranzábal; Gómez, Idiakez, Aramburu, Sa Pinto; Bonilla. 5-4-1.

The build up to this match was overshadowed by the arrest of Málaga president Fernando Puche, charged with tax fraud on tobacco imports. Puche, who protested his innocence (they always do), was released the following morning after paying 30 million pesetas bail. At least the crowd had something to talk about, because football was certainly not on the agenda of what could probably be the most boring match of the season. It wasn't really the fault of Málaga's manager Peiró: he changed his line up to include Luque up front alongside twin strikers Edgar and Catanha, bringing in Roteta and Larrainzar in a four man defence, which on paper was an attacking formation. However Javier Clemente had other ideas, and he named a 5-4-1 ultra-defensive side, with five changes from his last line up. New signing Corino came straight into the defence together with López Rekarte and Loren, with Idiakez returning in midfield and Bonilla (the second Real player to be involved in a horrendous car crash in a few days) up front. Guerrero (who scored an own goal last week), Antía, Kühbauer and De Paula were left out, and De Pedro was missing with flu. Clemente's tactics were obvious as early as the 25th minute, when the visitors already started to waste time shortly after Ruano had blocked Real's only on target shot of the match from Sa Pinto. De los Santos saw two efforts saved by Alberto before the break in the odd occasions that the home side got a view of goal. Agostinho, who had been left out to make room for Luque, came on in place of Valcarce at half time, and Catanha was replaced by Basti twelve minutes from time. The Brazilian striker did not have a shot all through the game, and may have returned too early from a serious eye injury sustained only a few days ago. Referee Rodríguez Santiago only produced two yellow cards all match, a disappointing display in Spanish refereeing terms which earned him a zero rating in one of the daily sports papers. But then even Japón Sevilla would have had his work cut out to put a spark into this one. Both teams still languish near the bottom.