Racing Santander 2 - Zaragoza 2

Racing: Coltorti; Sergio Sánchez, César Navas, Garay, Ayoze; Pablo Alvarez (Oscar Serrano 66'), Colsa, Duscher, Jorge López; Iván Bolado (Tchite 61'), Smolarek. 4-4-2.
Zaragoza: César; Diogo, Sergio, Pavón, Juanfran; Gabi (Celades 77'), Zapater, Luccin, Oscar González (Paredes 70'); Diego Milito, Oliveira (Sergio García 84'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Racing: Garay, Ayoze, Pablo Alvarez, Colsa, Smolarek for Oriol, Luis Fernández, Jordi, Oscar Serrano, Tchite / Zaragoza: Pavón, Gabi for Ayala, Sergio García.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Bolado. Picked up pass from Sergio Sánchez and shot inside near post.
1-1. 60. Diego Milito. Following up after keeper blocked Luccin free kick.
1-2. 84. Celades. Collected Milito pass, headed over keeper and turned ball in.
2-2. 90. Tchité. Poked ball in after Sergio Sánchez shot deflected by Diogo.

On-form Racing Santander were unable to win this weekend, the Cantabrians being held to a 2-2 draw by Zaragoza. With a big cup game coming up midweek, Marcelino made five changes to his starting line up. But even so young striker Iván Bolado gave them a third minute lead when he ran to Sergio Sánchez's pass to beat César, his first goal for the first team in the league. Bolado fired another shot wide and had a goal disallowed for offside after that, and Ayoze had a penalty claim turned down as the locals controlled the first half.

Zaragoza's first effort on target came from Diego Milito shortly before the break, but the striker levelled the scores on the hour mark after Coltorti could only push out a shot from Luccin following a set piece free kick. Jorge López went close with a couple of efforts, but with six minutes to go the visitors went ahead when Celades got in front of the keeper to head Milito's cross over him, collecting the ball again and running it in to the empty net. That seemed to have won it, but in the last minute Diogo blocked a cross by Sánchez, and Tchité stuck out a foot to poke the ball into the net.

Even so it was a relatively good result for Zaragoza's new coach Javier Irureta, who took over midweek after Garitano (who managed the side in the recent cup tie against today's rivals) resigned for personal reasons just 10 days after replacing Víctor Fernández.