Deportivo La Coruña 2 - Rayo Vallecano 0

Deportivo: Molina; Héctor, Andrade, Naybet, Romero; Scaloni (Valerón 67'), Sergio, Mauro Silva, Amavisca (Fran 57'); Makaay, Diego Tristán (Luque 78'). 4-4-2.
Rayo: Segura; Mario, Corino, Quevedo, Graff; Azkoitia, Iriney; Julio Alvarez (Camuñas 78'), Mora (Luis Cembranos 59'), Michel; Bolic (Bolo 78'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Deportivo: Molina, Naybet, Scaloni, Mauro Silva, Amavisca for Juanmi, César, Víctor, Duscher, Fran / Rayo: Quevedo, Mora, Bolic for De Quintana, Peragón, Bolo.

Goals:
1-0. 18. Makaay (penalty). After Héctor tripped in area by Quevedo.
2-0. 86. Naybet. Following up after Luque shot blocked by Segura.

Deportivo La Coruña bounced back from their midweek Champions League elimination at Juventus to beat lowly Rayo Vallecano 2-0 and hold on to third spot. The good news for Irureta's side was the return of Molina in goal after winning his battle against cancer, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation as he took his place in the starting line up. Otherwise though it was a similar line up to the one in Turin, with Andrade replacing the injured (and suspended) César and Sergio and Amavisca coming in for Duscher and Fran. Rayo were short of central defenders, and Quevedo took up defensive duties after returning from a four match ban.

It was a dull game though, and the Gallicians only managed to beat Segura in the first half from the penalty spot after Héctor was scythed down by Quevedo, Makaay winning a verbal battle with Tristán as to who was to take the kick and clocking up his twentieth league goal of the season. Molina had nothing to do at all in the first half and very little after the break, with the visitors spending more time in midfield trying to smother any initiative from their opponents than attacking themselves.

Irureta made the usual changes in the second half, bringing on Fran, Valerón and Luque, and it was Luque who broke away with Naybet four minutes from the end to fire a shot at Segura which the keeper could only push out into the path of the Moroccan defender for him to score the second. A minute earlier Rayo were left with a man short after Corino picked up his second booking of the match, and they sink further down into the relegation zone pending Sunday's games. Deportivo record their fifth league win in a row, and they go on to next Sunday's game against leaders Real Madrid with a chance to move level with them at the top of the table.