Mallorca 0 - Celta 1

Mallorca: Roa; Olaizola, Nadal, Fernando Niño, Miguel Soler; Campano (Carlos 70'), Engonga, Marcos, Cristian Díaz (Novo 65'); Losada (Ibagaza 65'), Luque. 4-4-2.
Celta: Cavallero; Coira, Cáceres, Berizzo (Sergio 07'), Silvinho; Giovanella (Doriva 70'), Vagner; Karpin, Mostovoi, Jesuli (Gustavo López 82'); Catanha. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Mallorca: No change / Celta: Cavallero, Giovanella, Karpin, Jesuli for Pinto, Luccin, Edu, Gustavo López.

Goals:
0-1. 26. Jesuli. Won ball on edge of area and cut in before beating keeper.

Celta moved to the top of table ahead of Real Madrid on goal average with a 0-1 victory at Mallorca, their tenth game in a row without defeat. Víctor Fernández could count on Cavallero and Karpin after their one match ban, but was missing Luccin who picked up his tenth yellow card of the season last week. He also decided to rest Gustavo López, possibly reserving him for the Tuesday night league match with neighbours Deportivo, and brought back Jesuli on the left wing. The Gallicians were the better side in the first half despite losing Berizzo with a broken ankle early on, and only Mallorca keeper Roa kept them from building a big lead, saving from Sergio, Catanha and Vagner. Jesuli put the visitors in front in the twenty-sixth minute though with an individualist goal, winning the ball back on the edge of the area and leaving Fernando Niño for dead before beating the Argentine keeper.

Mallorca had shown non of the form in the first half that had given them two big wins in a row, but they picked up their ideas after the restart, with Luque trying for a new club record after scoring in the last five games in a row. However their challenge soon faded away, and even though Kresic brought on Novo and Ibagaza and then Carlos, Celta got back on top. Once again Roa intervened to save efforts from Karpin and Mostovoi, and even though the Gallicians could not add to their score, they went on to record their first ever win in the San Moix stadium and keep up their challenge for the top spots. Apart from the injury to Berizzo (which may mean he misses the World Cup), the only down side was a rather unfair yellow card picked up by Mostovoi, which being his fifth could keep him out of Tuesday's game. The club will appeal though. Mallorca slip up after their recent good run, but they are still four points above the drop zone and with Ibagaza on his way back should be good enough to keep their place in the top flight.