Las Palmas 2 - Deportivo La Coruña 0

Las Palmas: Nacho González; Edu Alonso, Alvaro, Olías, Paqui, Angel; Jorge (Eloy 86'), Samways, Josico (Ramón 80'); Guayre, Turdó. 5-3-2.
Deportivo: Songo'o; Manuel Pablo, Helder (Emerson 54'), Naybet, Romero (Makaay 56'); Víctor, Donato, Valerón (Turu Flores 78'), Capdevila; Pandiani, Diego Tristán. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Las Palmas: Olías, Angel for Schurrer, Jarni / Depor: Songo'o, Naybet, Donato, Romero, Víctor for Molina, César, Scaloni, Mauro Silva, Fran.

Goals:
1-0. 05. Josico. Header after Manuel Pablo cleared Turdó's header off line.
2-0. 45. Alvaro. Headed down past keeper after corner from Samways.

Deportivo were brought back down to earth with a bump after losing to a better than expected Las Palmas. The league champions came in to the game on a high after qualifying for the quarter finals of the Champions League at the expense of Milan midweek. However they paid the price for that match, with Mauro Silva, Djalminha and Fran all injured, and Irureta also rested Molina, Emerson and Makaay after their exertions, calling up Bassir into the squad for the first time this season to make up the numbers. Sergio Kresic was only missing the suspended Schurrer, although he decided to leave Jarni out as well as he was not considered physically and mentally fit enough to be included (whatever that meant).

Las Palmas were desperate for a win after only taking one point from their last five games, and the prospect of consecutive matches against Barcelona and Real Madrid was not promising. However they set about their job with confidence and took the lead early on after Samway's corner, Josico finally putting the ball away after Manuel Pablo had headed Turdó's first effort off the line. They should have added to the score a few minutes later when Guayre left the ball with only Songo'o to beat, and the keeper stopped another shot from Turdó a couple of minutes later. Nacho González made a couple of good saves as well from Víctor and Donato at the other end, but the last fifteen minutes of the first half belonged to the home side, with only the Camerooni keeper standing in the way of disaster. However he could do nothing on the stroke of half time when Alvaro headed another Samways corner down into the net, a psychological blow for the visitors leaving them two down by the break.

By now the crowd were starting to enjoy themselves, forgetting the financial crisis that the home side are currently going through. Although local businessmen are expected to bail them out they may have to sell some of their most exciting youngsters at the end of the season to make ends meet, with Guayre, Jorge and Alvaro already being watched by scouts from Barcelona and other big clubs. Guayre it was who almost added a third with two efforts after the restart, and Irureta decided enough was enough and put on Emerson and a third centre forward Makaay. Although things improved for the visitors from there on, Kresic's men held firm, with Nacho González starring with spectacular saves from Tristán and Pandiani. In the end three valuable points for Las Palmas to stop their slide down the table, and they stay in a comfortable twelfth place. Deportivo's defeat was not so bad as the teams around them all failed to take advantage, although they lost an opportunity to catch up a few points on leaders Real Madrid. Each week there are less games for them to do so.