Numancia 0 - Alavés 0

Numancia: Nuñez; Iñaki, Jaume, Iván Rocha, Octavio; Moreau; Caco Moran, Pacheta, Barbu; Rivera, Ojeda. 4-1-3-2.
Alavés: Herrera; Morales, Téllez, Karmona, Torres Mestre; Ibon Begoña, Desio, Nan Ribera, Pablo; Javi Moreno, Kodro. 4-4-2.

A terribly cold night in Soria seemed to freeze the ideas of both sides as Numancia and Alavés played out the third of the day's goal-less draws. The best that could be said of this game is that Numancia preserved their unbeaten home record, despite lining up with a makeshift team after losing defenders Belsué and Muñiz plus midfielders Nagore and Castaño through suspension, and Rubén Navarro up front through injury. Iván Rocha returned after suspension and Jaume after a long injury, with Iñaki out of position at right back and Moreau playing in front of the back four. Pacheta moved back to midfield, with Ojeda, out of favour after turning up late after the Christmas break, joining young striker Rivera in attack. Manager Antoni Goekoetxea was forced to watch the match from the stands after receiving a red card in the last match. Mané only made one change in the Alavés side, Ibon Begoña returning after breaking his leg in September in place of the suspended Contra, with Morales moving back to right back to make room for Begoña in midfield. Very few chances were created throughout the match, with Javi Moreno coming closest when he got the ball in to the net early in the second half only to see his effort disallowed by Ansuategui for an earlier foul by Kodro. Moreno was replaced by Julio Salinas eight minutes from the end, and the ex Numancia player was given a standing ovation by the home supporters who remembered his contribution during his time with the Soria side. Numancia have not now been beaten at home since March last year, and they move up to tenth, two points and two places behind eighth placed Alavés, who are also having a good season so far.

Oviedo 2 - Rayo Vallecano 0

Oviedo: Esteban; Danjou, Onopko, Boris; Eskurza, Paulo Bento, Jaime, Rabarivony; Pompei; Losada, Dely Valdés. 3-4-1-2.
Rayo: Keller; Estíbariz, Cota, Hernández, Alcázar; Helder, Pablo Sanz; Ferrón, Llorens, Cembranos; Bolo. 4-2-3-1.

Reality is returning to Vallecas, as the season's early leaders Rayo were once again beaten, this time by relegation strugglers Oviedo. Rayo have always had their feet on the ground, and even in the heady days when they were on top of the pack, their coach and players always said that they were happy to be building up a cushion for leaner times. Those times are arriving, although to be fair to them they deserved better in this match in which they trailed by a single goal up to the last minute. Oviedo manager Luis Aragonés made two changes, bringing in Eskurza, returning after a one match ban, for Keita and Jaime for Iván Iglesias, with Dubovsky out of the squad with flu. Rayo were unchanged from their last match. The first goal came in the seventh minute, Losada meeting Dely Valdés's headed pass to fire past Keller. The Oviedo forward came close again a couple of times and had a goal disallowed for a dubious offside, but apart from that it was all Rayo, with Ferrón in particular missing a couple of easy chances in the first half. The ex Barcelona under 21 international was not having a good game, and at half time Juande Ramos decided to replace him with Michel I. Later in the half Canabal and then Van der Berg came on for Estibaríz and Llorens as Rayo pushed forward, and Aragonésbrought on Bango, Iván Iglesias and Claessens for Boris, Jaime and Paulo Bento. With the game in injury time Iván Iglesias put the result beyond doubt with a well struck free kick, lifting his side up above Real Sociedad, but still in the drop zone in 18th place. Far from being satisfied, Aragonés criticised his players for not following his orders in training and playing badly. Rayo fall down the table to 9th, still level on points with Valencia in 5th place, but with a worse goal average. They now hope that their dispute with FIFA over the Klimowicz affair is resolved this week to allow them to strengthen their side and make the necessary changes to meet the second half of the season. FIFA have blocked all transfers until they settle a debt of 223 million Pesetas with Argentinian club Instituto de Córdoba, which Rayo claim they do not owe. The case is due to be discussed this week.