Racing Santander 1 - Málaga 0

Racing: Lemmens; Pineda, Moratón, Juanma, Sietes; Pablo Sierra, Mateo, Ismael (Nafti 20'), Txiki (Bodipo 79'); Benayoun (Javi Guerrero 75'), Munitis. 4-4-2.
Málaga: Contreras; Josemi, Fernando Sanz, Roteta, Valcarce; Gerardo, Romero, Sandro (Manu 75'), Musampa (Iznata 60'); Edgar (Koke 60'), Dely Valdés. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Racing: Lemmens, Juanma, Mateo, Txiki, Benayoun for Ceballos, Neru, Nafti, Regueiro, Javi Guerrero / Málaga: Edgar for Darío Silva.

Goals:
1-0. 32. Munitis. Following up after Contreras blocked Txiki free kick.

Málaga lost ground on the leaders after they were defeated 1-0 by Racing Santander, the fourth match in a row that they have failed to score. The Andalucian side were clearly tired after their midweek UEFA cup tie with Leeds, and with Darío Silva out with injured ribs they were unable to break down the Cantabrian defence. After a bad string of results, Manolo Preciado had made five changes to his side, with Lemmens returning in goal and Benayoun getting a rare start in attack alongside Munitis, and the revitalised team made an enthusiastic start. However they lost Ismael to an injury early on, and Lemmens had to be at his best to save from Edgar and then Musampa after Romero had split the defence with his cross.

Racing took the lead though around the half hour mark when Contreras failed to hold on to a Txiki free kick, Munitis tucking the ball away on the rebound. Benayoun went close to extending the lead in the second half but shot just over the bar, and Peiró eventually put on fresh legs, Iznata and youngster Koke joining the game. However Josemi got himself sent off a quarter of an hour from the end after picking up two yellow cards, and in injury time Fernando Sanz left the visitors with nine men after he too received a second booking from referee González Vázquez. It was a much needed first victory in six games for Racing, who move away from the bottom spots up to thirteenth place, now only three points behind their opponents, who stay ninth.