Oviedo 3 - Alavés 3

Oviedo: Esteban; Gaspar, Danjou, Boris, Rabarivony (Martinovic 85'); Onopko, Jaime (Djordje Tomic 60'); Amieva, Paunovic (Geni 60'), Iván Ania; Oli. 4-2-3-1.
Alavés: Herrera; Contra, Eggen (Magno 46'), Téllez, Karmona, Geli; Ivan Tomic, Desio, Pablo (Astudillo 67'); Jordi Cruyff, Iván Alonso (Vucko 72'). 5-3-2.

Team changes: Oviedo: Gaspar for Keita / Alavés: Herrera, Téllez, Iván Alonso for Kike, Ibon Begoña, Javi Moreno.

Goals:
0-1. 27. Iván Alonso. Lobbed keeper after square pass from Tomic
1-1. 29. Onopko. Drilled shot in from edge of area after keeper punched ball out.
2-1. 36. Oli. Turned and shot past Herrera after ball bounced to him off defender.
2-2. 52. Iván Alonso. From close up after Magno and Boris both miskicked.
3-2. 75. Oli. Diving header after Gaspar's long centre from right wing.
3-3. 80.Contra (penalty). After Danjou sent off for handling in area.

An exciting game at the Nuevo Tartiere stadium, with the lead changing hands several times as both teams had their moments of domination. Radomir Antic left out Keita after irregularities with his French passport were reported, bringing in Gaspar who was just back from suspension. However Tomic and Martinovic were not quite fit enough to come back and both were left on the bench at the start, which meant that Paunovic could start the match in one of the non-EU places. Alavés were missing their top striker Javi Moreno who injured an ankle playing for Spain, and his place was taken by Iván Alonso. Herrera returned in goal after proving that his Italian passport was genuine, and Téllez came back after the appeal committee let him off one of his two match suspension.

Although Alavés had a most important UEFA cup semi-final in a few days time, they came out right from the start, and after Iván Alonso put a couple of chances wide, the Argentinian striker finally got one on target after his Tomic (no relation) set him up. That woke up Oviedo, and two minutes later Onopko whacked in an equaliser from thirty yards. Now it was the home side's turn, and Oli put them into the lead after the ball fortunately rebounded to his feet off Desio. At half time Mané took off one of his three central defenders Eggen to put on the more attacking Magno, and it was his side's turn for a bit of luck after the Brazilian fluffed a shot in front of goal, the ball falling at Iván Alonso's feet for him to fire in a hard low shot from a wide angle.

Back to the other end, and Oli put the Asturian side back in to the lead with his twelfth of the season, a diving header from Gaspar's cross from the right wing. Iván Ania headed off the line as Alavés swept forward, his opponents claiming incorrectly that the ball had crossed over before he made contact, but then they got a decision in their favour after referee Ramírez Domínguez awarded a penalty after Danjou had lifted his hands to block a shot at close range. The French defender protested that he was only trying to protect his face, but he still got a yellow card, his second of the night, and had to leave the field of play. Contra converted the penalty for his third goal in as many weeks and the points were shared, leaving Oviedo fifth to bottom after their fourth home match in a row without a win. Alavés are eighth, now only two points behind Villarreal, with their sights set on Europe for next season. Before that though they have to finish this year's competition, with the visit from Kaiserslauten next Thursday the most important game in their history. They have never won a trophy before. What an achievement if the first one could be the UEFA cup.