Osasuna 1 - Racing Santander 1

Osasuna: Nuno; Yanguas, Cruchaga, Jusué, Iban Pérez, Llorens (Oscar Arpón 68'); Gerardo (Alfonso 80'), Vidakovic, Gancedo; Iván Rosado, Trzeciak (Armentano 85'). 5-3-2.
Racing: Ceballos; Tais, Arzeno, Txema, Juanma (Sietes 60'); Espina, Jaime; Manjarín (Ramis 88'), Regueiro, Amavisca; Mazzoni (Magallanes 60'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Osasuna: Vidakovic, Gerardo, Trzeciak for Alex Fernández, Alfredo, Ziganda / Racing: Arzeno, Jaime, Regueiro for Ramis, Ismael, Magallanes.

Goals:
1-0. 19. Gancedo. Far post header after cross from Trzeciak on right.
1-1. 30. Mazzoni. Following up after Nuno saved Amavisca's header.

The relegation battle between two of the bottom teams ended all square as neither took any unnecessary chances. Osasuna needed the victory more than their rivals, playing at home and with the big three coming up in the immediate future, but injuries and suspensions left Miguel Angel Lotina with a depleted squad. Alfredo had broken his jaw playing paddle tennis during the week (seriously) and was out for the rest of the season, and that allowed the club to sign an emergency replacement. Lotina immediately approached Valencia to secure the services of their unsettled right back Gerardo, and with Alex suspended he came in to a makeshift midfield together with central defender Vidakovic. Racing's Gustavo Benítez was in charge for the second time in his new spell at the Sardinero, and he he brought in Regueiro for Magallanes, replacing the suspended Ismael with Jaime and bringing back Arzeno after a one match ban.

A capacity Pamplona crowd saw Osasuna take the lead in the nineteenth minute through Gancedo after good work by Trzeciak down the right wing. Up to that point it had been a dour struggle, with both sides packing midfield, but Racing came out briefly after the goal in search of an equaliser. Once Mazzoni reestablished the equilibrium around the half hour mark though things went back to as they were, and the second half was even duller than the first, with neither keeper troubled much. The result leaves both in the relegation zone, with Osasuna a point below Real Sociedad and one above Racing and Numancia, who are bottom. Unless Oviedo or Valladolid are dragged in, the three relegation spots are between those four. Who will be the lucky one to escape the net?