Oviedo 1 - Mallorca 1

Oviedo: Esteban; Keita, Danjou, Martinovic (Gaspar 46'), Boris; Amieva (Möller 58'), Onopko, Tomic, Iván Ania; Rubén (Paunovic 46'), Oli. 4-4-2.
Mallorca: Leo Franco; Olaizola, Nadal, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Finidi, Marcos, Engonga, Ibagaza; Eto'o (Stankovic 57'), Luque (Carlos 57', Novo 84'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Oviedo: Rubén for Rabarivony / Mallorca: Siviero, Finidi for Fernando Niño, Stankovic.

Goals:
0-1. 17. Eto'o. Raced on to slide slow ball past Esteban and on in to net.
1-1. 81. Möller. Header on far post after deep cross from Paunovic.

Luis Aragonés returned to Oviedo with his Mallorca side to take a point from the team he managed last season. Aragonés turned down an offer to continue at Oviedo to move to Mallorca, and after a bad start has taken them up to fifth in the league, a position they hold on to after this match. Both Aragonés and his replacement at the Nuevo Tartiere Radomir Antic had the same dilemma, which of their non-EU players to leave on the bench. Luis finally opted for Finidi, returning after international duty for Nigeria, in place of Stankovic, with Leo Franco returning in goal after Burgos got a run out in their cup victory over Tenerife midweek. Antic went back to his standard formation after playing five at the back against Real Madrid, with Rubén coming in alongside Oli up front and Paunovic the non-EU player chosen to sit it out from the start.

It was a game between two master tacticians, with Luis getting first blood after Eto'o charged on to Ibagaza's through ball to poke it past the advancing Esteban, the ball rolling on agonisingly into the net with the defence on the chase. Mallorca were finding gaps at the back, with Ibagaza at his brilliant best, and Luque brought a foot first save out of Esteban shortly after the goal. Oviedo had lost their unbeaten in their last home match against Barcelona though, and they were not going to give up without a fight. With five minutes to go to half time they bore down on the Mallorca goal, and referee García-Aranda pointed to the penalty spot after Siviero handled the ball, seemingly a yard outside of the area. When the protests died down Oli stepped up to thump the ball goalwards, but Leo Franco flung himself to his left to punch it clear. The half ended with Finidi firing a shot at Esteban, and Antic decided to ring the changes, bringing on Paunovic and once again sacrificing Martinovic, giving his new signing from Atlético Madrid Gaspar his first appearance in defence.

Within minutes Paunovic was in the action, shooting against the bar when it was easier to score. Eto'o replied at the other end, with Esteban once more getting in the way of his shot. Aragonés made a double change on the hour mark, bringing on Stankovic and Carlos, the unsettled striker who scored twice in the midweek cup match, but this time he was out-thunk by his opposite number, Antic making his last move which proved to crucial in the final outcome: Möller for Amieva - check. The Danish striker was making his last appearance before going on to play for Fulham, and he was desperate to prove his worth. A first header from Paunovic's cross was cross was saved by the keeper, but ten minutes later the two repeated the act, and this time Möller got it right, heading down past Leo Franco for the equaliser. Aragonés recognised his mistake and took off Carlos, bringing on Novo who almost sneaked it near the end, his shot being headed off the line by Ania. Then Paunovic almost scored against one of his old teams, but he shot weakly at Leo Franco with the goal at his mercy. In the end stalemate, leaving the home side with their first point in four matches down in fourteenth place. Karpov versus Kasparov was never this good.