Osasuna 0 - Málaga 2

Osasuna: Unzué; Mateo, Contreras, Olarra (David Cano 74'); Yanguas, Puñal (Rivero 74'), Lekumberri (Fernando 65'); Alfredo, Iván Rosado, Gancedo; Aloisi. 3-3-3-1.
Málaga: Contreras; Josemi, Fernando Sanz, Litos (Larrainzar 83'), Roteta; Gerardo, Romero, Miguel Angel, Musampa (Duda79'); Darío Silva (Canabal 74'), Dely Valdés. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Osasuna: Mateo, Olarra, Yanguas, Aloisi for Cruchaga, Josetxo, Jusué, Sabino / Málaga: No change.

Goals:
0-1. 48. Dely Valdés (penalty). After Contreras pulled down Dely Valdés himself.
0-2. 73. Darío Silva (penalty). Following trip by Alfredo on Roteta.

Osasuna fell to their fourth defeat in a row and ended the weekend down in the relegation spots for the first time this year. Once again though they were unlucky to lose, both goals coming from hotly disputed penalties in the second half. Miguel Angel Lotina brought back John Aloisi after his goal the week before, but was forced to cobble together a makeshift defence with Cruchaga and Josetxo suspended. Mateo came in for his first full game since recovering from injury, and Chile's Olarra made a rare start alongside his fellow countryman Contreras. Joaquín Peiró's side were unchanged, with his Contreras (no relation) once again showing the sort of form that has brought him to the verge of an international call up. The keeper kept out several efforts, including a header from Aloisi and a shot from Gancedo in a first half which the Pamplona based side dominated.

Only a few minutes into the second half though, referee Rodríguez Santiago upset the locals when he awarded a penalty after Contreras pulled down Dely Valdés. Once the resulting furore died down, the Panamanian striker stepped up to convert the kick himself to keep up his four match scoring record against his opponents. Osasuna came out more determined than ever, but both Aloisi and Iván Rosado wasted good chances to level the scores. And then Málaga came out on the breakaway, and after Unzué blocked a shot from Darío Silva, Alfredo couldn't help tripping Roteta who was running in on the rebound. This time there were less protests as Rodríguez once again pointed at the spot, and Darío claimed the ball to score his first goal since early January with a soft 'Panenka style' chip. In the dying minutes the two Osasuna strikers again failed to take advantage when set up by their colleagues, and despite the constant encouragement from their loyal fans they are now in deep trouble, having only taken two points from their last seven games. Málaga move up a place to eighth, and they are now only three points away from a first time ever place in Europe next season.