Málaga 2 - Rayo Vallecano 0

Málaga: Contreras; Rojas, Larrainzar, Fernando Sanz, Valcarce; Movilla, Sandro (Roteta 85'), De los Santos, Agostinho (Musampa 60'); Darío Silva (Luque 83'), Catanha. 4-4-2.
Rayo: Lopetegui; Cota, Amaya, Hernández, Alcázar; Ferrón (Estibariz 40'), Poschner, Pablo Sanz (Michel II 60'), Michel I; Luis Cembranos (Van der Bergh 58'); Bolo (Michel II 85'). 4-4-1-1.

Team changes: Málaga: Fernando Sanz, Sandro, Agostinho for Roteta, Ruano, Rufete / Rayo Vallecano: Ferrón for Helder.

Goals:
1-0. 32. Darío Silva. Headed Sandro's free kick past Lopetegui.
2-0. 80. Musampa. Bent shot past keeper from outside area.

Málaga kept their dreams of European football alive with a good victory against one of their main rivals Rayo Vallecano. Last season the two met in the second division, but this year both are in the top half of the first division after what must be considered successful seasons for each of them. Both managers have been able to count on fairly stable sides, and the only changes to either were due to bookings, with Joaquín Peiró replacing the suspended midfielders Ruano and Rufete with Sandro and Agostinho (recently called up by Portugal), and Juande Ramos bringing in Ferrón for Helder. Fernando Sanz came back in the middle of the Málaga defence after his one match suspension. Lopetegui kept his place in goal ahead of Keller after letting in only three goals in the six games since his return. The man he replaced was called up by USA for their next match against Russia, which at least will give him some match practice. Lopetegui's defensive wall held back Málaga, but the home side finally made their break through with their first real chance of the match, Darío Silva lucky not to have been pulled back for a push on a defender as he ran on to head Sandro's free kick past Lopetegui. That was in the 32nd minute, and Catanha should have added to the lead five minutes later, but for once the Brazilian striker was off target. In fact it was not his day at all, and the watching scouts from Roma must have gone back to their club with negative reports after he missed a couple more chances in the second half. Rayo's best moments were at the start of the second half, after Ramos had controversially replaced Ferrón with Estibariz five minutes before half time, and a few minutes after the break Michel hit the crossbar with a first time volley. Ramos made two more early substitutions, with Dave Van der Berg and Michel II coming on for the not fully fit Cembranos and for Pablo Sanz, but the key substitution of the match came from Peiró, who gave an opportunity to his Dutch midfielder Musampa, out of favour for most of the season. Musampa took his chance, scoring a fine goal from outside of the area shortly after referee Puentes Leira had sent off Rayo's French defender Hernández for a second bookable offence. Málaga move above Rayo on goal average to eighth place, both on 46 points. Málaga's players only need to secure two more points to get their promised bonus of 160 million Pesetas, which will double up if they qualify for Europe. Their problem next season, and Rayo's as well, will be holding on to their star players. Their good season is being followed by many clubs, and Valcarce and Rufete for example are rumoured to be joining Atlético Madrid next season, if they stay in the first division. If not, the former could go to Barcelona, who are desperately looking for a left back. Catanha is being looked at by many clubs, his impending Spanish nationalization a further attraction for sides who have their non-EU spots already covered. Rayo are already looking at possible replacements in case they lose players, and could also call back Peragón, currently on loan to Burgos. Compared to pre-season disaster forecasts, not bad problems to have.

Remaining matches: Málaga: Real Sociedad (A), Celta (H), Zaragoza (A), Racing (H)
Rayo: Valencia (H), Barcelona (A), Oviedo (H), Sevilla (A)

Oviedo 0 - Mallorca 0

Oviedo: Esteban; Losada, Keita (Fabio Pinto 70'), Boris, Onopko, Rabarivony; Paulo Bento, Nadj (Jaime 30'), Pompei; Rubén (Juanchi González 55'); Dely Valdés. 5-3-2.
Mallorca: Leo Franco; Armando, Olaizola, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Lauren, Chichi Soler, Stankovic; Ibagaza; Diego Tristán (Carlos 80'), Eto'o. 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Oviedo: No change / Mallorca: Chichi Soler, Stankovic for Engonga, Carreras.

Goals: None.

Oviedo and Mallorca played out a boring goal-less draw which neither really wanted, but which moves both a little closer to safety. After their 3-0 victory last week against Barcelona, Luis Aragonés kept the same starting line up, playing his two wing backs Losada and Rabarivony further forward and Pompei behind the twin strikers Rubén and Dely Valdés. With Nadal still recovering from his respiratory problems, Mallorca's manager Fernando Vázquez, returning to the ground where he was in charge last season, only made two changes to his side, Stankovic returning after suspension for Carreras and Paco 'Chichi' Soler. Covering for the injured Engonga. Oviedo have one of the best home records in the league and Mallorca one of the worst away, so everything pointed to a victory for the home side. However Dely Valdés and company were not on their best form, and a comedy of errors in the first few minutes kept Leo Franco's goal clean, with first Pompei and then Losada putting good chances wide. Nadj had to leave the pitch with an injury on the half hour mark, Jaime coming on in his place, and with the Yugoslavian international off the field, Mallorca took advantage, Diego Tristán bringing a first save out of Esteban five minutes before half time. Eto'o headed off the line just before the break from Pompei's corner, and early in the second half Aragonés brought on Juanchi González for Rubén in an attempt to break the deadlock. All the move did was to break the home team's stride however, as Juanchi produced two silly fouls within ten minutes of coming on, thereby getting himself sent off with a yellow card for each. Luis's reply was adventurous, as he brought on another attacking player Fabio Pinto for one of his defenders, Keita. They could still make no inroads, and the change left them short at the back, with Esteban being called upon to save his side in the last five minutes with two great saves from an Ibagaza free kick and an Eto'o shot. In injury time the Oviedo manager got too carried away (at his age!), and picked up his fifth booking of the season after stepping on to the pitch. Aragonés joked after the match that referee Medina Cantalejo had seen him coming, and that he thought the card was a bit much given that he was a personal friend of the referee's father! He now has to sit out Oviedo's next nail-biter at Sevilla, although with the home crowd hoping that the visitors will win to send hated rivals Betis towards the second division (Oviedo are direct competitors of Betis for relegation), the match may be easier than it looks. They are currently two points ahead of Betis with four games remaining, with Mallorca relatively safe in eleventh place.

Remaining matches: Oviedo: Sevilla (A), Atlético (H), Rayo (A), Real Sociedad (H)
Mallorca: Betis (H), Sevilla (A), Valladolid (A), Atlético (H)