Zaragoza 1 - Celta 1

Zaragoza: Lainez; Pablo, Aguado, Rebosio, Sundgren; Toro Acuña, José Ignacio; Juanele (Cuartero 75'), Jamelli (Yordi 84'), Vellisca (Garitano 75'); Esnaider. 4-2-3-1.
Celta: Cavallero; Velasco, Berizzo, Djorovic, Juanfran; Jayo, Giovanella (Doriva 75'); Edu (Karpin 60'), Mostovoi, Jesuli; Catanha (McCarthy 65'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Zaragoza: Pablo, Sundgren for Paco, Cuartero / Celta: Berizzo, Jesuli for Cáceres, Gustavo López.

Goals:
0-1. 52. Catanha. Turned ball into net after Edu chipped in from right wing.
1-1. 59. Jamelli. Came back from offside position to take pass and beat keeper.

There was a predictable end to this match, with both sides getting the point they needed to achieve their respective objectives. Zaragoza have had a poor season, and they came in to this game with an outside chance of relegation along with three other teams, Valladolid, Oviedo and Osasuna. That was not the case though for Celta, and they only needed a draw to be sure of sixth place in the league and a place in the UEFA cup for next season. The game was overshadowed by an incident involving Zaragoza's controversial striker Juan Eduardo Esnaider, who was playing his first match at the Romareda stadium since he clashed with his own fans a month ago. With the game only a quarter of an hour old, Esnaider was spotted elbowing Jayo in the face off the ball by referee Pérez Burrull, and he was given a direct red card. The crowd reacted immediately, and the Argentinian was booed off the field in what is now surely his last game for the club.

That actually inspired Zaragoza to greater things, and they could have scored twice in the first half hour, Pablo almost catching Cavallero off guard with a clever backheel and José Ignacio heading unmarked into the keeper's hands. Celta were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when José Ignacio brought down Jesuli, the referee erroneously ruling that the foul was outside of the penalty area, and Edu blasted the ball over the bar from close range in their best chance of the first half. Shortly after the break Catanha opened the scoring with his first goal in nine weeks after Edu set him up, and Jesuli almost increased the visitors' lead when his cross from the right hit the crossbar. But Jamelli levelled the scores a couple of minutes later, coming back from an offside position to pick up Juanele's pass, and although Zaragoza did spend much of the rest of the game in Celta's half, neither side had much interest in taking chances.

By now news was coming through that Mallorca were thrashing Oviedo, and the home fans relaxed. They did however show their frustrations at president Alfonso Solans for their poor showing this year, and the white handkerchiefs were waved in protest. They can still save the season however, with a semi-final cup tie against Atlético Madrid coming up next week, and they could even meet their opponents Celta in the final, they themselves playing Barcelona in the other semi-final. Right now though Celta were happy with their sixth place which assures them of European football next season, and they can approach the cup in a more relaxed fashion as a result.