Numancia 4 - Celta 2

Numancia: Alvaro Nuñez; Manel, Muñiz, Gustavo, Octavio; Iñaki, Nagore (Marini 70'), José Manuel, Caco Morán; Rubén Navarro (Chispa Delgado 82'), Ojeda (David Pirri 88'). 4-4-2.
Celta: Cavallero; Velasco (Vagner 83'), Cáceres, Djorovic, Yago; Giovanella (Jesuli 70'), Doriva; Karpin, Edu, Gustavo López (Pablo Couñago 80'); Catanha. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Numancia: Iñaki, José Manuel, Ojeda for Jaume, David Pirri, Chispa Delgado / Celta: Cavallero, Yago for Pinto, Coira.

Goals:
1-0. 05. Caco Morán. Header on near post after corner from left.
2-0. 26. Ojeda. Header from corner which hit bar, Giovanella and Cavallero.
2-1. 29. Doriva. Long shot which went in off far post.
2-2. 48. Catanha. Beat Nuñez to long cross and ran on to head into net.
3-2. 58. José Manuel. From close up on far post after Iñaki cross not cleared.
4-2. 65. Caco Morán (penalty). After Djorovic ruled to have fouled Rubén Navarro.

Celta's season took another nosedive in Soria as the Vigo side crashed to a humiliating defeat against struggling Numancia. Both sides came in to this match without a win in their last six matches, with Celta having lost their last six games in a row away from home. Their manager Víctor Fernández decided to change hid goalkeeper, giving Cavallero his first start in the league for his new team, and with McCarthy still away on international duty and Mostovoi injured, Edu kept his place behind Catanha. Numancia's new manager García Remón was still without a win in his three matches in charge, and he made his first changes after keeping the same starting line up for three games in a row. Manel switched to left back to cover for the injured Jaume with Iñaki taking Manel's place on the right of midfield, and José Manuel and Ojeda came in for David Pirri and Chispa Delgado.

On the narrowest pitch in the first division, Numancia created the first chances down the two wings, and halfway through the first half they were two goals in front, both coming from corners. First of all Caco Morán got in front of the defence to head home a corner from the left, and then Ojeda put in a powerful header from the back of the area after a corner from the right, the ball hitting Giovanella and then Cavallero on the goal line before entering the net. In between the goals Nagore forced a finger tip save from Cavallero after a clever back heel from José Manuel set him up, and Catanha shot just wide at the other end. Celta perked up after the second goal with Doriva reducing the gap with a snapshot from outside of the area which went in to the top corner, and Edu could have equalised minutes later if Nuñez had not been attentive. Three minutes in to the second half though they were level, Nuñez misjudging a high cross from Gustavo López allowing Catanha to somehow head it up out of his hands, the striker running on unmarked as the ball bounced goalwards to finish it off with a simple header.

But then a lapse of concentration by the Celta defence let the ball run across the goalmouth, leaving José Manuel with the easy task of pushing it into the empty net. And only a few minutes later Numancia notched up their highest score in the first division when referee Esquinas Torres ruled that Djorovic had pushed Rubén Navarro in the penalty area, Caco Morán getting his second of the night from the penalty spot. In fact it could have been five towards the end as Iñaki rounded the defence and scored, but the referee ruled it out for a previous foul by the midfielder. Numancia climb back out of the relegation zone for Christmas, up to seventeenth, with Celta dropping down the table to fourteenth, now only three points ahead of their rivals. Víctor Fernández is looking to strengthen his squad during the winter break, and has already signed Argentinian defender Berizzo from River Plate. His best Christmas present though would be the return to fitness of some of his key players, and is hoping the three kings will give him a win in their next match against Las Palmas. If not there may soon be a new man sitting in his chair, and it won't be Santa Claus.