Celta 1 - Numancia 1

Celta: Cavallero; Velasco (McCarthy 73'), Djorovic, Cáceres, Juanfran; Karpin, Giovanella; Edu (Jesuli 63'), Mostovoi, Gustavo López; Catanha. 4-2-3-1.
Numancia: Alvaro Nuñez; Jaume, Antía, Culebras, David Pirri; Manel, Nagore, Pacheta; Rosu (Caco Morán 70'); Ojeda, Rubén Navarro (Marini 90'). 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Celta: Giovanella, Edu for Vagner, Jayo / Numancia: Manel, Jaume for Iñaki, José Manuel.

Goals:
0-1. 66. Rosu. Shot into roof of net after Manel squared from right.
1-1. 76. Gustavo López (penalty). After foul by Antía on Mostovoi.

Celta were unable to capitalise on slip ups by their closest rivals, being held at home to a draw by one of their bogey teams Numancia. Having lost last week at Mallorca the Vigo side were in need of a victory to consolidate their sixth place which gives them automatic access to the UEFA cup. However they have yet to win against the team from Soria, with two defeats and a draw in their only three meetings up to this game, and once again they met their match. With caretaker manager Celestino Vallejo in charge for the second time, bottom club Numancia put up an excellent display, following up on their victory over relegation rivals Osasuna last week. Vallejo stuck to the same formation he used successfully in that game, only replacing the suspended Iñaki and José Manuel with Manel and Jaume.

The game was influenced by an injury to referee López Nieto in the first half, curiously the third referee this season to hurt himself in a game involving Celta. López limped off in the 23rd minute with what looked like an ankle injury, swapping places with the fourth referee Llorente Carcedo, who usually officiates in the second division B. Llorente was to award a controversial penalty to Celta in the second half, and sent off Karpin and Marini in the last minute rather harshly after Karpin kicked out at the Argentinian following a hard tackle. Marini had only been on the field of play for two minutes. Celta had taken the early initiative, with Nuñez saving well from Gustavo López with a quarter of an hour gone. However they disappeared for the rest of the first half, and only bad marksmanship by Rubén Navarro and two fine saves by Cavallero from Rosu kept the scores level by the break.

The introduction of Jesuli in the second half improved matters for Víctor Fernández's side, but Numancia took a deserved lead halfway through the half when Rosu blasted the ball past Cavallero after a pass from Manel on the right. Then came the penalty decision after Antía was ruled to have tripped Mostovoi, and Gustavo López made it all square again. After the game Vallejo complained that the young referee had cost his side two points, although if his forwards had been more on target the penalty would not have mattered. With Osasuna and Racing also drawing Numancia stay two points clear at the bottom, and although the new manager has picked up four points from his two games, time is rapidly running out. Celta's point keeps them ahead of Villarreal, but they need to return to winning ways soon if they are to return to Europe for the fourth year running.