Deportivo La Coruña 2 - Espanyol 1

Deportivo: Molina; Manuel Pablo, Andrade, Naybet, Capdevila; Duscher, Sergio (Fran 60'); Víctor, Valerón (Scaloni 67'), Luque; Diego Tristán (Munitis 75'). 4-2-3-1.
Espanyol: Toni; Tayfun (Raúl Molina 73'), Torricelli, Domoraud, Jarque, David García; Maxi (Luismi 82'), Morales, Alex Fernández, Jordi Cruyff (Héctor 68'); Tamudo. 5-4-1.

Team changes: Deportivo: Víctor for Scaloni / Espanyol: Torricelli, Jarque, David García, Maxi for Soldevilla, Lopo, Wome, De la Peña.

Goals:
0-1. 16. Jordi Cruyff. Collected pass from Morales and hit shot into bottom corner.
1-1. 45. Luque. Ran on to Víctor's free kick from by-line to shoot low past Toni.
2-1. 65. Torricelli (own goal). Deflected Luque cross past Toni from wide angle.

Deportivo La Coruña kept up the pressure on the top two with a 2-1 win over struggling Espanyol. Irureta's side went behind at first though when Jordi Cruyff picked up a pass from Morales to shoot low past Molina on the quarter hour mark. But the Galicians reacted quickly, and ex Espanyol midfielder Sergio forced a good save out of Toni soon afterwards. It was not though until just before half time when they got the equaliser following a dubious free kick down the right goal-line, Víctor fooling the waiting defence by playing the ball back for Luque to drive a shot low into the bottom of the net.

The visitors didn't allow the goal to upset them though, and Molina did well to turn a Maxi header away for a corner soon after the restart. Irureta finally decided he had to make changes, and brought on Fran for Sergio. And within five minutes he made the difference, finding Luque down the left wing for him to fire in a cross which took a wicked deflection off Torricelli to wrong-foot Toni and enter the net. It was the fifth own goal in favour of Deportivo this season, and once again it served them to pick up the three points and stay in third place, six points behind leaders Real Madrid. Espanyol are in deep trouble, and they find themselves now no less than nine points away from safety at the bottom of the division.