Deportivo La Coruña 2 - Málaga 2

Deportivo: Molina; Scaloni, Héctor, Naybet, Romero; Mauro Silva, Sergio (Diego Tristán 58'); Víctor (Emerson 72'), Valerón (Pandiani 92'), Fran; Makaay. 4-2-3-1.
Málaga: Contreras; Josemi, Bravo, Larrainzar, Valcarce; Gerardo, Romero, Miguel Angel (Ivan Leko 72'), Musampa (Zárate 72'); Darío Silva, Dely Valdés (Canabal 93'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Deportivo: Héctor, Mauro Silva for Capdevila, Duscher / Málaga: Bravo, Larrainzar, Valcarce, Romero, Darío Silva for Fernando Sanz, Litos, Roteta, Ivan Leko, Zárate.

Goals:
0-1. 28. Darío Silva. Took diagonal pass from Miguel Angel and shot under Molina.
1-1. 39. Naybet. Bundled ball into net after Makaay headed cross against post.
2-1. 77. Fran. Shot across goal which Contreras turned into his own net.
2-2. 82. Dely Valdés (penalty). After Scaloni bundled over Dely on edge of area.

Report by C.P.Rune

With only 3 games to go including this one and with Valencia edging away at the top there was only one result that Deportivo could afford to contemplate this evening, and that was a win. Málaga on the other hand, who had exceeded their wildest dreams back in the top flight, were also in search of the points to take them into the UEFA cup.

With both sides missing defenders and so much at stake the bookies weren't taking many bets for a goal-less draw. With Diego Tristan, Depor's top striker, out injured the hopes of the home crowd rested on the slight shoulders of the Dutch striker, Roy Makaay, and in the first minute he nearly slipped the offside trap to go clear on goal. Five minutes later he managed to get free but from 10 yards out blazed over.

After that Depor upped the pace and started to press. Málaga were lucky to escape in the thirteenth minute when once again the ball landed at the left foot of Makaay following a couple of unconvincing clearances from free kicks. His hammer of a shot was well saved by Contreras in the Málaga goal. Minutes later it was Makaay creating the mayhem with a great cross from the left - the ball pinged around before falling at the feet of Scaloni who wastefully blazed into the crowd. In the 23rd minute Depor came even closer. A glorious passing move ended with Sergio clear through the middle but he couldn't get past Contreras whose outstretched boot diverted the ball away to safety.

Towards the half hour Málaga started to nudge forward and having shown little in front of goal they stunned the home crowd and took a surprising lead. There seemed no danger as a ball was cleared from the area but the Depor defence weren't concentrating as they wandered out and as the loose ball was crisply slotted back in Dario Silva found himself all alone to the left of the penalty spot with only Molina between him and the goal. He didn't need a second invitation and he rammed the ball first time through Molina's legs.

This wasn't the script Deportivo had been rehearsing all week and they were stung into action once again, forcing a couple of corners and carving out a lovely chance for Valerón who shot tamely at the keeper.

Málaga took a deep breath and were back at Depor, breaking the home side's rhythm and looking the livelier side. They nearly extended their lead when Romero was put through but his first touch was poor and he couldn't get the ball under control to shoot.

Just as the game seemed to be swinging towards one side the other side broke away and scored. A free kick outside the area was slipped to the right to Sergio but Bravo blocked his effort. The resulting corner was cleared by the Málaga defence and when it was chipped back in Makaay stretched superbly under pressure curled a header onto the bar. The keeper, Contreras, was unable to reach the ball and ended up on the ground with Naybet closing in. Naybet somehow managed to send his header straight at the prone keeper and just as it looked he had pulled off an improbable save the ball popped up and Naybet made certain from about a yard out and the scores were level.

In the closing minutes of the half Makaay got free on the left and looking up for help found he was surrounded by defenders. Seeing the keeper slightly out of position the talented Dutchman attempted an outrageous chip that just cleared the post.

The second half started with Depor looking for the lead having hauled their way back into the game. Five minutes into the second half Depor moved the ball round the area nicely to Fran who whipped in a superb cross. Sergio came flying through the defence unmarked and met the ball about eight yards out but he saw the keeper out of the corner of his eye and failed to meet the ball properly and his header glanced harmlessly wide.

In the 58th minute Irureta played his trump card and Diego Tristán came on in an attempt to force the issue. It was Málaga who nearly broke through when a cross from Musampa looked bound for Gerardo coming in on the far post but Romero put his head in where it hurt and saved the day for Deportivo. Three minutes later Depor allowed a corner to spin across the six yard box with no-one taking control. They had been warned.

Ten minutes after his introduction Diego Tristán showed just why he is one of Spain's top strikers. Picking the ball up 30 yards out he strode forward and sent a crisp low shot just wide of the post with Contreras scrambling. Two minutes later his free kick from a similar distance was turned onto the post by the keeper's fingernail.

A Dely Valdés free header showed that the game could still go either way but with 15 minutes to go Depor got their noses in front. A cross into the box seemed to pose no real threat but Bravo sent a weak header straight to Fran who, from a tight angle, blasted a shot across goal. It was too quick for Contreras and as he attempted the save he was unlucky to get an arm in the way and divert it into the net. The crowd went wild.

The joy lasted only 5 minutes before Málaga bounced back. A long punt down the middle found Dely Valdés the wrong side of Scaloni. The full back in hot pursuit suddenly found the forward under his feet and the referee had no choice but to give a penalty. Depor protested but the fact that the referee didn't send the offender off or even book him told the story. Dely Valdés picked himself up and with Molina dancing about on the line simply smacked the ball off the underside of the bar, down onto the goal line, back up onto the bar and in.

Depor huffed and puffed but the stuffing had been knocked out of them. They had dominated possession but Málaga had always looked dangerous and with chances at both ends a winner was never certain.

In the final minutes the referee lost it a little with a series of bizarre decisions - none more so than when he sent off Naybet for a second bookable offence. He made a text book tackle which was penalised and as he explained this to the bewildered referee he probably talked his way to a second yellow card and an early bath. After that tempers frayed and Depor's season unravelled. It was a sad end to a season that had offered much but yielded only a Spanish Cup and a champions league spot. Which is not bad, but it could have been so much better.