Valladolid 1 - Racing Santander 1

Valladolid: Bizzarri; Torres Gómez, García Calvo, Heinze, Marcos; Caminero (Ricchetti 55'), Peña, Fernando, Chema (Alberto 90'); Ciric (Eusebio 77'), Pachón. 4-4-2.
Racing: Ceballos; Mellberg, Arzeno, Txema (Espina 46'), Juanma; Ramis, Ismael (Colsa 70'); Regueiro, Magallanes (Mazzoni 70'), Amavisca; Rushfeldt. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Valladolid: Peña for Turiel / Racing: Mellberg, Ramis, Regueiro, Rushfeldt for Tais, Jaime, Manjarín, Mazzoni.

Goals:
1-0. 21. Txema (own goal). After Caminero received throw in and laid ball across.
1-1. 88. Rushfeldt. From close up after Bizzarri let Colsa cross through his legs.

A mistake at the end of the game by Valladolid's keeper Bizzarri cost Valladolid two points and leaves them reeling within two points of the relegation zone. Pepe Moré's side were desperate for a victory in this game, their last one before having to face Deportivo, Barcelona and Real Madrid in their last three fixtures, and they seemed to be on their way when Colsa got free down the right and put across a seemingly harmless low ball with two minutes to go. It should have been an easy pick up for the keeper, but somehow he managed to let it through his legs, and Rushfeldt standing behind him found himself with an easy tap-in in front of goal.

Racing's manager Gustavo Benítez had made several changes for this vital game, with Rushfeldt making his first start for the new manager in an attacking line-up which featured three forwards. Once again the team were holed up before the match in the Hotel Milagros, the miracle hotel, after the formula had worked the week before against Oviedo. And at the beginning the magic seemed to be working again, with Bizzarri having to make good saves from Rushfeldt and Magallanes within the first quarter of an hour as the visitors came looking for their first away win of the season. However Valladolid took the lead against the run of play when veteran midfielder Caminero laid the ball in to the penalty area, and although Pachón didn't quite get there in time, the ball was turned into the net by Txema in his attempt to clear.

After the own goal Racing lost the plot a bit, with Caminero taking command in midfield. Things improved though for the visitors after the ex Atlético international left the field, and Valladolid dropped back to defend the one goal advantage. However the home side could have extended the lead on the break away on two or three occasions before Bizzarri's unfortunate slip. The result means that Racing keep their hopes of salvation alive, only two points now away from Oviedo in seventeenth place. Valladolid are three points ahead of them, and any one of eight teams, including Zaragoza and Rayo, could still go down. The last three weeks are going to be heart stopping.