Zaragoza 1 - Málaga 1

Zaragoza: Juanmi; Rebosio, Paco, Sundgren, Pablo; Acuña, José Ignacio; Juanele (Ferrón 77'), Montenegro, Vellisca; Jamelli (Peternac 77'). 4-2-3-1.
Málaga: Contreras; Ruano (Edgar 74'), Bravo, Roteta, Larrainzar, Valcarce; De los Santos, Musampa (Zárate 70`), Movilla (Iznata 70'); Darío Silva, Dely Valdés. 5-3-2.

Team changes: Zaragoza: Sundgren for Aguado / Málaga: Roteta, Musampa for Rufete, Zárate.

Goals:
0-1. 49. Darío Silva. Speculative shot from centre circle that caught Juanmi off guard.
1-1. 57. Montenegro. Followed up after Vellisca's shot from left bounced off post.

Zaragoza managed to salvage a point in this game, but have still to record their first win of the season and are languishing at the bottom of the table for the first time in ten years. The news during the week was that their ex striker Juan Eduardo Esnaider is to join them on loan in December from Juventus, and from this showing they need him as soon as possible. Their caretaker manager Luis Costa, recently ratified in his position until the end of the season after failing to secure the services of Luis Fernández and Frank Rijkaard, kept faith in Jamelli for this match, but with a 4-2-3-1 formation, the -1- needs to be a striker with a good recent track record, which Jamelli, Peternac and Yordi (currently out with flu) are not. Despite their recent record, Costa went for stability, hoping that a first choice eleven will gradually gel together. He was forced to make one change however, captain Aguado out through suspension, and Gary Sundgren came in to the side in his place. Málaga manager Joaquin Peiró lost Spanish international Rufete to an injury which will keep him out for three or four weeks, and Roteta replaced him, with Musampa getting another chance in place of Zárate.

The first half belonged entirely to Zaragoza, but their lack of a centre forward was evident. With Contreras on top form, they were unable to break through, with Juanele, Jamelli and Acuña failing to find the mark. Their best efforts came from the boots of Montenegro, and he struck the post and then forced a fine save out of Contreras in the space of two minutes. Apart from a shot early on by Dely Valdés, Málaga had not got near Juanmi's goal, and the keeper started to wander out of his area, probably through boredom. That was a mistake though, and just after the restart, Darío Silva hit a speculative shot from just outside of the centre circle, and the ball looped up and span over the stranded keeper into the net. The crowd were gob-smacked, their team having done all the attacking, and it took another splendid strike from Montenegro to restore the equilibrium, the Argentinian forward driving home the loose ball after Vellisca's shot cannoned against the foot of the left post.

Málaga have now gone 48 years since a victory at the Romareda stadium, winning their first match in 1952 but failing in 20 attempts after that. This was the closest they have come in some time, but they must be happy with a point which keeps them in twelfth place. Zaragoza must feel that their luck must change, and they are too good to be in last place for long. To add to their woes, referee Carmona Méndez sent off Sundgren for an insult right at the end of the game. Sundgren claims his Spanish is not very good, and he only repeated what he hears in the dressing room. However, the referees notes make interesting reading (see our heroes and villains section for more details). In any case, the Swede has been in Spain for three years now, and although it is a common fact that footballers learn the swear words before anything else, he presumably understood very well what he said. Some referees are very sensitive in this country, especially about their mothers. He would be better off swearing in Swedish next time.