Celta 1 - Zaragoza 1

Celta: Cavallero; Velasco, Cáceres, Berizzo,Yago; Giovanella, Vagner; Karpin (McCarthy 83'), Mostovoi, Gustavo López (Edu 66'); Catanha (Pablo Couñago 75'). 4-2-3-1.
Zaragoza: Juanmi; Cuartero, Paco, Rebosio, Lanna; Toro Acuña, José Ignacio; Ferrón (Yordi 83'), Montenegro (César Jiménez 72'), Vellisca; Esnaider (Jamelli 80'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Celta: Yago, Gustavo López for Juanfran, Edu / Zaragoza: Paco, Ferrón for César Jiménez, Juanele.

Goals:
1-0. 17. Catanha. Following up after Juanmi blocked Mostovoi shot.
1-1. 25. Vellisca. From left of goal after Montenegro long cross missed by defence.

Celta failed to win for the tenth league match in a row, although they restored some pride with a gutsy performance which brought praise from their long suffering fans. They were up against a side who's season has been diametrically the opposite of Celta, having themselves gone eleven games now between cup and league without a defeat. It is difficult to imagine that only three months or so ago Celta were leading the first division and Zaragoza were bottom, but the two sides passed each other in the league table a couple of weeks ago and continue to move apart like two poles of a magnet. Víctor Fernández has been under great pressure recently with results going against him, and although nobody would like to see the man that brought entertaining successful football to Vigo leave the club, if they do not start to improve soon then that could happen. Víctor was concerned coming in to this match that such a vital fixture was against his old club, the ironies of football leading him to think that a loss here could finish him off. He decided to make a couple of radical changes anyway, leaving Juanfran, Doriva and Jesuli out of the eighteen man squad, with Yago and Gustavo López coming in to the starting line up.

Celta at least have been successful in the cup, reaching the quarter finals midweek despite losing at home to second division Leganés in the second leg. Zaragoza too are having a good cup run, joining Celta in the next round after thrashing Murcia, and they came in to this match on a high despite several important absences, including defenders Pablo, Aguado and Sundgren, all injured, and Juanele who was serving a one match ban. Paco did return in defence however, with Ferrón getting a rare start on the right of midfield, and Esnaider passed a late fitness test to line up in attack. Lanna played as well despite signing earlier for Milan for the rest of the season, and he could still play another match or two before finally leaving for Italy. With an 18,000 crowd urging them on, Celta came out fighting, and Karpin drove a shot just over the bar in the opening minute. Zaragoza came back, with Cavallero saving from Montenegro, but within a quarter of an hour the home side took the lead, Mostovoi producing a moment of magic to create space to have a pot at goal, and Catanha was on hand to stick in the rebound as Juanmi parried his shot. The Tsar appeared to be back on form, and felt he should have had a penalty later in the half when Paco pulled him back. However the visitors are a team on form, and they levelled the scores halfway through the half when everyone missed a cross from Montenegro, Vellisca waiting outside the far post to volley the ball back in past Cavallero.

Either side of half time Celta went close to scoring, with Catanha having a goal disallowed by referee Esquinas Torres for offside before the break and Juanmi saving from Mostovoi and Karpin in quick succession just after. Both sides had valid penalty claims turned down, and Juanmi snatched the ball off Catanha's boot as the Hispano-Brazilian was about to score. Both managers threw on forwards near the end looking for the victory, and Mostovoi could have wrapped it up in the closing minutes when alone in front of Juanmi. The Celta fans stayed to the very end and applauded their team off, showing that they were not yet ready for a change of manager. Even though, Celta drop to within three points of the relegation zone, and have another vital game against Osasuna in Vigo next week. Zaragoza hold on to eleventh spot with a game in hand, which they will play next Wednesday away against leaders Real Madrid. If they can get a result there they are heading towards the top half of the table and a date with Europe. How things can change in a couple of months.