Racing Santander 2 - Oviedo 0

Racing: Ceballos; Tais, Arzeno, Txema, Juanma; Manjarín (Ramis 55'), Ismael, Jaime, Amavisca (Colsa 30'); Magallanes, Mazzoni (Regueiro 77'). 4-4-2.
Oviedo: Esteban; Gaspar, Danjou, Boris (Geni 75'), Rabarivony (Ivo 38'); Jaime, Onopko; Paunovic, Tomic, Iván Ania; Oli. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Racing: Txema, Juanma, Jaime, Magallanes for Mellberg, Sietes, Espina, Regueiro / Oviedo: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Magallanes. Thirty metre free kick which took deflection off defensive wall.
2-0. 89. Magallanes. Ran on to pass from Regueiro to shoot past keeper.

Racing Santander threw themselves a lifeline with a victory over Oviedo, who themselves drop back into the relegation battle with this defeat. It was a hard fought match, with heavy tackles going in right from the start, and Racing ended the game with ten men after Tais got himself sent off after picking up a second yellow card early in the second half for a foul on Iván Ania. Racing's manager Gustavo Benítez decided to take his team away midweek for a four day stay in a local hotel to get them into the mood, and by luck or design they chose the hotel Milagros (miracles in Spanish), which is what they need to stay up at the moment. He also made several changes to the line up, bringing in Uruguay's Magallanes, who had only started one game since joining the club in winter.

With ticket prices being lowered to 500 Pesetas for the game, the ground was quite packed, with 18,000 fans roaring on their team against their rivals from down the road. Within three minutes they were ahead, Magallanes driving in a long free kick which hit a defender on it's way through to leave Esteban stranded. Oviedo were forced to come forward, and Paunovic caused some problems down the right wing. But Racing had the best chances in the first half, with Jaime clearing off the line from Mazzoni and Esteban tipping another Magallanes effort on to the bar. Players were falling thick and fast, with Amavisca limping off for the home side and Oviedo's Rabarivony having to be replaced by Ivo before half time. Amavisca's replacement Colsa brought another save out of Esteban, as did Racing's Jaime just after the interval.

After Tais was sent off though Benítez pulled his players back, Ramis coming on for Manjarín. Oviedo felt they should have had a penalty when Juanma handled accidentally in the area, and Oli just failed with a couple of efforts later on. Then in the last minute Regueiro won the ball back in his own half and sent Magallanes off in front of goal, and he didn't hesitate, beating Esteban with a low shot. That put his side ahead of their rivals on particular goal average, which could be vital if they end up level on points at the end of the season. With Real Sociedad and Numancia also winning Racing stay down in next to bottom place, but Oviedo and also Valladolid are now only three points ahead of them, both with the big three to come, and it now looks like three from six for relegation It's not over until the fat lady sings.