Málaga 2 - Tenerife 0

Málaga: Contreras; Josemi, Fernando Sanz, Litos, Roteta; Gerardo, Romero, Miguel Angel (Duda 46'), Musampa (Ivan Leko 72'); Canabal (Zárate 46'), Dely Valdés. 4-4-2.
Tenerife: Julio Iglesias; Basavilbaso, Mustafá, Alexis, Bermudo; Bino, Jaime (Basedas 65'); Javi Venta (Xisco 55'), Martí, Iván Ania (Javi López 65'); Bichi Fuertes. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Málaga: Canabal for Darío Silva / Tenerife: Bermudo, Mustafá, Iván Ania, Bichi Fuertes for Manel, Lussenhoff, Javi López, Bruno Marioni.

Goals:
1-0. 48. Litos. Header down into net on far post from long Duda free kick.
2-0. 88. Leko. Shot wide of keeper after cross in from Zárate on right wing.

Málaga moved up into the UEFA spots and at the same time sent Tenerife crashing down towards the second division with a 2-0 victory in the Rosaleda stadium. Javier Clemente's side were missing six players through suspension and injury and he lined up with a makeshift side, with Bichi Fuertes recovering from injury in time to lead the attack. Málaga were only missing Darío Silva, who dropped out of Peiró's side at the last minute with flu. The match began with a minute's silence in remembrance of the seven people killed in the recent floods in Tenerife, the visiting players all dropping to one knee on the pitch and bowing their heads to pray in a touching tribute to the victims. Both teams started cautiously, neither wanting to lose this important match. Fuertes was the first to attempt a shot at goal early on, his long lob falling just wide of goal, but from then on the home side got a grip, with Julio Iglesias saving well from Dely Valdés and Musampa, and Roteta heading just wide.

Peiró was not happy with his formation though, and brought on Duda and Zárate at the break. Within four minutes the two had a hand in the opening goal, Zárate winning a free kick on the right and Duda dropping his free kick on the head of Litos who placed the ball down past the stranded keeper. Clemente put on Xisco to help Fuertes up front, but he was back down to one striker within minutes when Fuertes picked up two yellow cards in quick succession, the second for a blatant dive in the penalty area at the feet of Contreras which referee Iturralde González stopped a mile off. Tenerife still came forward desperately wanting an equaliser, but after Bino tested Contreras with a free kick, the play switched down the other end for Zárate to pull the ball back for Ivan Leko to place a lazy shot wide of Iglesias. With Athletic Bilbao apparently abdicating from the third UEFA spot, Málaga go ahead of them on goal difference, now with a real opportunity of playing in a European competition for the first time in their history. Tenerife stay bottom of the division, two points adrift of the rest of the pack, and Clemente will have to work a real miracle if he is to pull this one out of the fire.