Numancia 1 - Zaragoza 1

Numancia: Alvaro Nuñez; Jaume (Iñaki 65'), Muñiz, Gustavo, Octavio; Manel, Nagore, Caco Morán, David Pirri (Rosu 73'); Chispa Delgado (Ojeda 55'), Rubén Navarro. 4-4-2.
Zaragoza: Juanmi; Pablo, Paco, Aguado, Lanna; Acuña (Garitano 80'), José Ignacio; Juanele, Montenegro (Ferrón 85'), Vellisca; Jamelli (Yordi 46'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Numancia: No change / Zaragoza: Aguado, José Ignacio for Sundgren, Garitano.

Goals:
1-0. 04. Rubén Navarro. Shot inside post after pass from Delgado.
1-1. 45. Juanele. Shot from outside of area which took a deflection off defender.

This regional relegation battle ended in a draw which did no favours for either side, with Numancia ending the day down a place in the drop zone and Zaragoza only a couple of places higher up in sixteenth place. Both clubs have changed their managers since the season started, with Numancia's new man, Mariano García Remón, taking over only 10 days ago. He kept an unchanged side for this game after taking a valuable away point from Villarreal in his first match in charge, with Chispa Delgado keeping his place up front alongside Rubén Navarro. Zaragoza's caretaker manager Luis Costa recovered José Ignacio after a one match ban, but was missing Sundgren and Peternac from his squad due to a flu virus which has been doing the rounds.

Numancia scored early on after the two front men combined for Rubén Navarro to finish off the move, and García Remón decided that was probably enough, pulling the wagons back in to a circle as early as the fifth minute to defend the result. That handed over the initiative to the visitors, and with a Juanele on his best form, Zaragoza set out to find a way through. The 'dive in the penalty area' ploy didn't work though, with referee García-Aranda booking the veteran forward for trying, and Juanele had to go the traditional route with a shot from outside of the area on the stroke of half time which took a lucky deflection off a defender.

After the break it was back to the drawing board, and both keepers were kept busy in their respective goals, with Nuñez saving twice from half time substitute Yordi and Juanmi stopping shots from Pirri and Navarro. But the derby ended up all square, leaving Numancia looking ever more like relegation material in this most difficult of leagues. Last season their home record saved them, remaining unbeaten at the Pajaritos stadium until late in the season. However this year they have already dropped thirteen points in their own ground in seven games, and García Remón has some work to do. Zaragoza need a target man up front, and Juan Eduardo Esnaider will be joining the squad next Friday when the transfer market reopens. Today he was in the stands, but provided that his transfer comes through from Juventus on time, he is expected to be in the starting line up next week. He returns to the club where he had most success in his career a few years ago, but whether he is still as good as during that period remains to be seen. Zaragoza fans have big hopes that he will be.