Zaragoza 1 - Deportivo La Coruña 2

Zaragoza: Láinez; Pablo, Paco (Sundgren 06'), Aguado, Esquerdinho; Aragón (Marcos Vales 63'), José Ignacio; Galletti (Yordi 63'), Juanele, Vellisca; Bilic. 4-2-3-1.
Deportivo: Molina; Héctor, César, Naybet, Capdevila; Duscher (Emerson 63'), Sergio; Víctor, Valerón (Helder 75'), Fran (Amavisca 72'); Diego Tristán. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Zaragoza: Paco, José Ignacio, Galletti, Bilic for Cuartero, Chainho, Marcos Vales, Garitano / Deportivo: César, Capdevila, Víctor for Donato, Romero, Makaay.

Goals:
0-1. 13. Diego Tristán. Took Valerón pass and beat three men before shooting.
0-2. 59. Diego Tristán. Header down into bottom far corner from Víctor's cross.
1-2. 70. Yordi. Headed home Juanele's long pass in from right of midfield.

Deportivo took over at the top of the table pending Sunday's games after a 1-2 victory at Zaragoza. Both goals for the visitors came from Diego Tristán, who returned to the side after being left out of the Champions League game midweek, and he proved to his manager that with Makaay injured he should be without question the first choice striker. Tristán left three defenders sitting on their backsides before beating Láinez for the opening goal early on, and placed a curling header into the far corner of the net from Víctor's cross in the second half to put his side two up.

With the game in the bag Irureta decided he did not have to risk Djalminha, who had returned to the squad after a long injury, reserving the Brazilian star for the midweek Champions League game. Txetxu Rojo brought on Yordi to join Bilic up front, and within minutes he had pulled one back, heading home his third in as many matches from a long ball by Juanele. Depor brought on an additional defender Helder, which proved a good decision as only a couple of minutes later César got his marching orders after picking up a second yellow card in a clash with Yordi. The Zaragoza forward was lucky not to be sent off himself, referee Pérez Pérez only giving him a caution for his retaliatory punch at the Depor defender.