Numancia 2 - Espanyol 1

Numancia: Alvaro Nuñez; Iñaki, Antía, Culebras (Soria 75'), Manel; Nagore, Pacheta, José Manuel; Rosu (Marini 85'); Ojeda, Rubén Navarro (Caco Morán 70'). 4-3-1-2.
Espanyol: Mora; Cristóbal (Oscar 70'), Lopo, Rotchen, Navas; Morales, Sergio; Velamazán (Benítez 75'), Martín Posse (Serrano 75'), Arteaga; Tamudo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Numancia: Iñaki, José Manuel for Jaume, David Pirri / Espanyol: Navas, Morales, Arteaga for David García, Galca, Roger.

Goals:
0-1. 03. Tamudo. Headed past Nuñez after free kick from Sergio on right.
1-1. 45. Nagore (penalty). After Rotchen ruled to have pushed Pacheta.
2-1. 63. Rosu. Drove ball past keeper after Ojeda headed into area.

Numancia kept their slim hopes of salvation alive after coming from behind to beat Espanyol. A defeat against the Catalans would have condemned the Soria side to relegation, especially with Oviedo and Valladolid winning, but they fought back with a controversial penalty and a second half strike from Rosu to take the victory and move level with Osasuna and Racing on 36 points. Caretaker manager brought back Iñaki and José Manuel after their one match suspensions, replacing Jaume and the banned David Pirri. In the visitors' dressing room, Paco Flores was missing the suspended Galca and the injured Roger, (who apparently also missed out on a first time call up for Spain as a result of his groin strain), and preferred to include the more experienced Navas, back from a one match ban, for youngster David García.

Espanyol started well, and after going close twice, went into an early lead through Tamudo with his twelfth of the season. Velamazán missed a chance to extend the lead a few minutes later, but Numancia came back and Mora was forced to save well from ex Espanyol midfielder Pacheta. Then as half time approached Pacheta fell in the penalty area, and referee Fernández Marín awarded a penalty for a supposed push by Rotchen on the player. It appeared to be a bad decision, but Nagore gratefully converted the kick to level the scores. After that the visitors gave up trying, and it was no surprise when Rosu got his fourth in seven games to put the home side in front. The game degenerated into a series of niggling tackles, and Fernández Marín managed to show no less than twelve yellow cards to twelve different players, something of a feat of memory for the referee. In the end a result which leaves Espanyol without a hope of European football next season, and Numancia off the bottom above Racing and Osasuna if particular goal average is taken into account (which it is at the end of the season). Next week they play at Rayo Vallecano, and nothing short of a win will do if they are to stay up.