Leaders Zaragoza crashed to a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Elche, ending their run of ten games without defeat and six without letting in a goal. Serrano started things off following up after Lainez saved from Benja, and Raúl Pérez got the second after the break, heading home Melgar's free kick. The visitors threw caution to the winds and Yordi went close before Melgar scored with a long shot, and only a couple of minutes later Serrano combined with Melgar to complete the rout and bring Paco Flores' side back to Earth with a bump. Elche rise up to sixth, and join the group of teams vying for the three promotion spots.

Zaragoza still top the table though a point ahead of Levante, who beat Córdoba 1-2 thanks to a late Congo goal. After a lively start the game quietened down, and only an off the line clearance by Rivera from Córdoba's Whelliton, and a header just wide by Félix at the other end gave the crowd anything to shout about before the break. Limones put the visitors ahead though immediately after the restart after good work by Mijatovic and Jofre, and although Alfonso Sánchez headed home Whelliton's cross to level the scores a quarter of an hour from the end, Congo struck to take his side back up above Albacete.

Other than that it was a low scoring Sunday, with no less than four games ending 0-0. One of those was at the Juventud stadium in Jerez on Sunday evening, where local side Xerez were held by Getafe. The locals were unable to do anything against their opponents' spoiling game, and only a shot from Mena went close to the target in the first half. They did get the ball in the net though in the second half, only to see it ruled out for a foul on keeper Pindado, but in the end they were relieved to at least take a point after Craioveanu tested Mora and Mario headed an easy chance over the bar.

Xerez drop to fourth, one place and two points above Murcia, who also drew 0-0 at seventh placed Salamanca. The two sides have the best defences in the league, with only seventeen goals against in the thirty games they have played, and keepers Stelea and Reinke were not particularly troubled throughout the match. The best chances fell to visiting striker Ismael in the first half and home side midfielder Roberto Fresnedoso after the break, but neither could find the net.

The third match to finish without goals on Sunday evening was between Numancia and Almería, which did little to take either away from the danger zone. Caretaker manager Máximo Hernández was in charge of the Soria based side for the second time, and his side had the better of the first half, with Sergio Cruz putting Barbero to the test and Ojeda shooting just over the bar. The visitors came back in the second half though with Bilic in particular going close, and they keep up their five match unbeaten run to stay six points above their opponents, who are still third from bottom.

A controversial second half penalty gave Badajoz a point at Eibar in a match which finished 1-1. The Basque side had taken the lead in the first minute of the second half when Xavi Moro put Nené through for him to beat Baines. However ten minutes later Paradas Romero awarded a spot kick thinking that a defender had handled in the area, when in fact the offender was Badajoz attacker Miguel. After the referee waved away Eibar's obvious protests, Jorge Sánchez converted the kick. Both sides ended the day level on points in sixteenth and seventeenth places.

Sporting Gijon won their Sunday lunchtime local derby against Oviedo by a single goal to move further away from the danger zone and leave their rivals firmly anchored at the bottom of the table. The home side went close in the opening minutes when Juan hit the post, and took the lead with a quarter of an hour gone after David Villa set up Lozano for him to shoot under Jonathan. Sporting were left with ten men when Cobas was sent off for a foul on Angel on the hour mark, but even so the visitors did not create too many problems for local keeper Valencia.

A scoreless draw between Leganés and Compostela left both sides struggling near the bottom of the table. The home side had several chances but could not find the target, with Miguel Angel shooting wide in the first half and visiting keeper saving from Villa and Adriano clearing off the line from Calandria after the break. The Gallicians were happy though to run the clock down at the end to earn a point which keeps them just ahead of their opponents. Reports on Sunday evening matches to follow. (15.12.02)

Albacete moved back into contention for the top spots with a 2-0 win over Racing Ferrol on Saturday evening. The fourth placed side went ahead with two goals in four minutes late in the first half, the first a delightful lob from Parri and the second a quick counterattack by Jesús Parera. Mikel could have increased the lead when he headed against the post after the restart, but this time it didn't matter and Albacete put an end to their run of four draws in a row to move second pending Sunday's games. The bad news for the visitors was the loss of striker Pezzarossi with a broken ankle early in the game.

Elsewhere the two Canary Island sides both won to stop their slides down the table. Tenerife beat Poli Ejido 0-1 thanks to Paunovic's sixth goal of the season four minutes from the end, the ex Atlético and Mallorca midfielder controlling the ball on his chest before hitting a long shot past Quique. The result gives the visitors their first away win of the season, and saves the head of manager Ewald Lienen, who was expected to be given the boot had his side lost. After a run of eight games without defeat this was Ejido's second loss in a row, and they lose ground on the leaders.

Las Palmas beat Terrassa 2-0 to end their run of seven games without a win. The locals opened the scoring in the twelfth minute when Reggi headed home Alex's cross, and Rubén went close to making it two before the break. The Catalans came close to equalising early in the second half though when Babangida hit the post, but a few minutes later Baiano finished off from close up to make sure of victory for his side. Las Palmas move up to within a point of their opponents, who have gone off the boil after an excellent start to the season. (14.12.02)