Zaragoza 0 - Deportivo La Coruña 1

Zaragoza: Lainez; Rebosio, Milito, Alvaro, Toledo; Ponzio, Soriano (Vellisca 76'); Galletti, Cani (Yordi 60'), Savio; David Villa (Generelo 76'). 4-2-3-1.
Deportivo: Molina; Héctor, Andrade, Naybet, Capdevila (Romero 71'); Sergio, Mauro Silva; Víctor, Valerón, Luque (Duscher 78'); Diego Tristán (Pandiani 64'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 66. Pandiani. Headed Víctor's cross down past Lainez.

Deportivo started off the season with a victory away from home against newly promoted Zaragoza, although in the end they were lucky to come away with the three points. The home side had had the better of the first half, with an excellent Molina saving from Galletti early on and David Villa missing a couple of chances, the second of which due to an atrocious pitch which caused the ball to bobble up just as he was taking aim at goal.

In fact the closest the visitors had come to scoring was from back passes by the Zaragoza defence which bounced awkwardly for Lainez, and midway through the second half Irureta decided to replace a disappointing Diego Tristán with Walter Pandiani. It proved to be the turning point of the game, as within a minute or two of coming on the pitch the Uruguayan striker got on the end of Víctor's cross to head home the only goal of the game. The locals did the best to bounce back, with Ponzio hitting the post with a long shot a few minutes after the goal, and Milito heading just over the bar in the dying minutes. But the day belonged to Deportivo, and that man Pandiani.