Mallorca 2 - Valencia 2

Mallorca: Leo Franco; Olaizola, Fernando Niño, Nadal, Miguel Soler; Finidi (Novo 60'), Engonga, Ibagaza (Francisco Soler 29'), Carreras (Carlos 80'); Eto'o, Luque. 4-4-2.
Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Ayala, Djukic, Carboni; Angulo, Mendieta, Deschamps (Baraja 62'), Kily González (Vicente 90'); Juan Sánchez, Carew (Diego Alonso 75'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Mallorca: Finidi, Carreras, Eto'o for Novo, Marcos, Stankovic / Valencia: Carboni, Deschamps, Juan Sánchez for Fabio Aurelio, Baraja, Albelda.

Goals:
1-0. 22. Eto'o. Controlled Luque's cross, turned and beat Cañizares.
1-1. 68. Baraja. From edge of area after Angulo laid back Kily's centre.
1-2. 74. Mendieta. First time left footed volley after Angulo crossed from right.
2-2. 93. Luque. From close range after Novo turned ball back from left.

An injury time goal by Luque kept Mallorca in the top six and left Valencia 12 points behind leader Real Madrid in fourth place. Valencia had lost their last three games and came in to this match desperate for a victory to keep in touch with the leaders. Cúper, returning to his old hunting ground, brought back Carboni and Sánchez and included Deschamps in the place of Baraja, but couldn't count on Pablo Aimar, who's trasfer papers had not yet arrived from Argentina. Luis Aragonés recovered Finidi and Eto'o after international duty, but was missing the suspended Marcos and had lost Stankovic, who surprisingly left for Marseille after not holding down a first team place at Mallorca.

Eto'o celebrated his return with the opening goal, Luque swinging over a cross from the right wing which the Camerooni controlled well surrounded by defenders before beating Cañizares. Carew missed a golden opportunity a couple of minutes later when Leo Franco slipped, but the big striker put his shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Mallorca suffered a blow when their most on-form player Ibagaza limped off on the hour mark, and he is likely to be out for a couple of weeks at least with a pulled muscle. Without their inspiration in midfield the home side lost control of the match, and only Leo Franco held fast as Valencia rained down on their goal.

It was only a matter of time, and eventually Kily found a gap down the left, slipping the ball through to Angulo who laid it back for substitute Baraja to score Valencia's first goal in four games. Five minutes later Mendieta put the visitors in front with a rare left foot volley which bounced past Franco, his first goal in ten weeks. But just when they were celebrating victory, up popped Luque to nip in on the near post and clip in a ball laid back by Novo. A result which favoured neither team, but at least both hold their positions in the league.