Deportivo La Coruña 2 - Valencia 1

Deportivo: Molina; Manuel Pablo, Andrade, César, Romero; Duscher (Diego Tristán 79'), Sergio; Víctor (Scaloni 68'), Valerón, Fran (Luque 75'); Pandiani. 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres (David Navarro 62'), Ayala, Marchena, Carboni; Albelda, Baraja; Rufete (Xisco 66'), Aimar, Vicente; Mista (Oliveira 78'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Deportivo: César, Romero, Duscher, Fran for Naybet, Capdevila, Mauro Silva, Luque / Valencia: Albelda, Rufete for David Navarro, Jorge López.

Goals:
1-0. 15. Valerón. Latched on to Víctor's header to whip ball in from right of goal.
1-1. 73. Mista. Turned ball in from close up after Albelda crossed in from left.
2-1. 80. Diego Tristán. Bent free kick over defensive wall and in to net.

Deportivo moved to the top of the table after beating last week's leaders Valencia 2-1 on Saturday evening. It was a lively match, and Irureta's side took the lead with a hotly protested goal on the quarter hour mark, Valerón whipping the ball into the net after Víctor headed on a corner. It was the first league goal that Cañizares had let in for seven games, although the keeper and his defence were unhappy that referee Undiano Mallenco turned down their appeals for a previous foul by Valerón on the keeper.

Depor kept up the attack, with Undiano turning down a possible penalty appeal for a foul by Marchena on Fran and Cañizares having to save from Pandiani, who was back in the starting line up after being substitute in the Champions' League match midweek. The visitors were always dangerous on the breakaway though, and as the rain started to fall, Aimar uncharacteristically failed to find Mista with a wild cross with the striker unmarked in the box. The action was relentless though, and before the break Molina had to pull off a spectacular save from Vicente and Valerón headed just over at the other end.

Benítez brought on Xisco midway through the second half to strengthen the attack, and a few minutes later the scores were level after Albelda found Mista with a cross from the left wing. Irureta wanted the three points though and immediately brought on his big guns Luque and Diego Tristán, and it was Tristán who scored the winner for the second time in four days with a free kick which seemed to deflect off the defensive wall on it's way to goal. Valencia had ket in twice as many goals in this match as they had done all season, and Cañizares was left without a club record. But more importantly they had lost their first game of the season, and Depor are now ruling the roost.