Celta 1 - Osasuna 0

Celta: Cavallero; Velasco, Berizzo, Yago, Juanfran; Giovanella, Vagner; Karpin (Edu 70'), Mostovoi, Gustavo López (Tomás 62'); Catanha (Coira 90'). 4-2-3-1.
Osasuna: Nuno; Yanguas, Vidakovic, Cruchaga, Mateo, Llorens (Armentano 71'); Gancedo (Oscar Arpón 62'), Alex Fernández, Lekumberri (Alfonso 62'); Sabino, Iván Rosado. 5-3-2.

Team changes: Celta: Juanfran for Cáceres / Osasuna: Vidakovic, Alex, Lekumberri, Sabino for Aitor Ocio, Alfredo, Palacios, Armentano.

Goals:
1-0. 46. Mostovoi. At second attempt after first volley blocked by defender.

Celta finally won a game after a run of ten league matches without a victory, but even then only after a second half penalty save from keeper Cavallero. The Vigo based team have dropped alarmingly down the league after heading the table in the early days of the season, and before this game were only two places above their opponents, who are languishing in the relegation zone. Having put up a good fight last week against Zaragoza, Víctor Fernández kept faith with the same team, only replacing the suspended Cáceres with Juanfran, with Yago switching across to his more natural central defensive position. Cáceres was missing for the first time in 47 matches, the only player to have played in all league, UEFA cup and Spanish cup games over the last year. Gustavo López passed a late fitness test but Djorovic didn't, and McCarthy was away on international duty. Osasuna are struggling in a group of four teams fighting to steer clear of the three relegation spots, and they were hoping to drag Celta down to join them. Miguel Angel Lotina made four changes with Lekumberri returning from a one match ban replacing Alfredo who was starting one, and Vidakovic preferred in defence to Aitor Ocio, who's mistake lead to Real Sociedad's goal last week.

The weather in most of Spain was awful on Sunday, and the game was played in a constant rainstorm which at times made the pitch difficult to play on. Celta were by far the better team in the first half, although Osasuna gave them a fright early on, with Alex Fernández hitting the crossbar and Iván Rosado shooting high. Catanha though should have scored on three or four occasions, with Nuno showing why he has been called up by Portugal with two point blank saves from the Hispano-Brazilian striker. Referee García-Aranda also waved away a penalty appeal by Gustavo López when he was brought down by Cruchaga. Immediately after the restart though Celta got the goal they deserved, Karpin galloping down the right wing and swinging the ball across to Mostovoi on the far post. The Tsar's first effort was blocked by Cruchaga, but the ball fell kindly and the Russian tucked it away on the second attempt leaving Nuno stranded. Osasuna were forced to come forward, and the rusty machinery gradually got in to gear. Cavallero saved from Iván Rosado, and with twenty minutes to go Lotina went for broke (Osasuna style) and replaced one of his five defenders with another forward, Armentano.

The effect was immediate, the Argentinian winning a penalty within minutes of coming on after Yago fouled him in the area. However Cavallero read Sabino's intentions correctly and got down to save his low spot kick. With a minute of ordinary time remaining Celta's controversial left back Juanfran got himself sent off when he kicked the ball away to waste time, leaving García-Aranda with no choice but to show him a second yellow card. His teammates showed him no sympathy as he trudged off the field, and Víctor brought on defender Coira for Catanha to see out the last few moments. Celta had won and Víctor came breath again, although with Velasco and Gustavo López also receiving their fifth yellow cards of the season his team will now be without three key players for their next vital league game at Real Sociedad. All three will be available though for their midweek cup match with Mallorca, but Cavallero may not play having had stitches put in a cut to his face after an accidental clash with Armentano. Osasuna lamented their missed chances, and see their opponents move six points above them now in the table. Their new signings Llorens and Gancedo played well, but efforts to sign the striker they so desperately need appear to have fallen through, and they will have to face the rest of the season with the squad they have got. People are already wondering whether that will be good enough.