Copa del Rey - semi-finals, first leg

Recreativo 2 - Osasuna 0

The league's oldest club Recreativo Huelva took a big step towards a place in the cup final after they defeated Osasuna 2-0 in their first leg semi-final. Neither side had ever reached the final before, and both keepers had to be at their best in the opening minutes as the attacks rained in thick and fast. However it was the home side who opened the scoring in the seventeenth minute, Benítez shooting through a crowd of players after Morales had failed to clear a corner from the left. The open play continued into the second half, but then the visitors were left with ten men after young striker Brit was sent off for insulting a linesman. Aguirre's side still pushed forward looking for the away goal, but as the game went in to injury time substitute Raúl Molina caught them hopping on a quick counterattack to score an important second goal to give them a clear advantage for the return leg. (06.02.03)

Deportivo 2 - Mallorca 3

The goals continued in the "Copa del Rey", with reigning champions Deportivo La Coruña coming from three down to score twice in the last minutes of their first leg tie against Mallorca. Ironically the visitors took the lead late in the first half through Walter Pandiani, a player who is on loan from Deportivo after failing to hold down a place in Irureta's side last season, and the Uruguayan striker rubbed more salt in the wound when he scored again ten minutes from the end. A minute later Eto'o added a third and it looked as if the Gallicians were going the same way as Real Madrid in the last round. However Diego Tristán won a penalty which he converted himself with a minute of normal time remaining, and half time substitute Makaay narrowed the gap to one goal with another strike in injury time to at least give his side an outside chance for the second leg in Mallorca in a month's time.(05.02.03)