Zaragoza 1 - Mallorca 0

Zaragoza: Láinez; Komljenovic, César, Paco, Pablo; Juanele (Chainho 85'), Toro Acuña, José Ignacio, Vellisca; Drulic (Jamelli 68'), Milosevic. 4-4-2.
Mallorca: Roa; Olaizola, Nadal, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Campano (Eto'o 55'), Engonga, Marcos, Ibagaza (Paunovic 72'); Losada (Carlos 72'), Luque. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Zaragoza: Pablo, Juanele, Drulic for Sundgren, Aragón, Galletti / Mallorca: Siviero, Ibagaza for Fernando Niño, Paunovic.

Goals:
1-0. 56. Toro Acuña. Picked up loose ball and beat keeper from edge of area.

Mallorca drop back into the bottom three after a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Zaragoza. Sergio Kresic's side had an opportunity to overtake their opponents, who started the day only two points above them, and the manager had high hopes, lining up with a side very similar to the one Luis Aragonés took into a Champions League spot last year with Ibagaza in for his first start since returning from a season long injury. Siviero replaced the injured Fernando Niño, and Samuel Eto'o was also back in the squad, although he only returned at the last minute and began the game on the bench. The Camerooni striker had gone missing for a few days (as had Real Madrid's Geremi) after his country's victory in the African Nations Cup, and the club will probably complain to FIFA as it appears that the players' passports were retained by the Camerooni authorities to allow them to 'celebrate' after their win.

Apart from the defence, where César was given a first team place after Aguado picked up a serious injury, Luis Costa could count on his full squad, and he lined up for the first time with Milosevic and Drulic in attack. It was not a great game but his side for once showed a bit more grit, and Mallorca keeper Carlos Roa was called upon a couple of times to keep the scoreline unchanged by half time. The visitors were happy to defend and look for the counterattack, and Láinez made an important save from an Ibagaza header after the interval. But then a solitary mistake by Roa gave the home side the lead, the keeper letting Toro Acuña's powerful shot from outside of the area through his hands. Kresic threw on Eto'o but he was not his usual self and put a couple of chances wide, and Roa made up in part for his mistake with good stops from Acuña and Vellisca. The result though was a relief for Costa's side who climb away from the danger zone, and with Real Sociedad and Rayo both winning, Kresic needs to turn things around quickly to avoid a disaster for the islanders. The frustration got to much for his assistant coach Zomiso Sanromán, who was given a red card in the second half after a linesman reported him for bad language.