Espanyol 1 - Betis 1

Espanyol: Mora; Navas, Lopo, Soldevilla, David García (Ricardo Cavas 46'); Raúl Vates (Oscar 70'), Morales; De Lucas (Palencia 55'), Martín Posse, Roger; Tamudo. 4-2-3-1.
Betis: Prats; Tais, Juanito, Filipescu, Luis Fernández; Ito (Varela 80'), Benjamín; Joaquín (Joao Tomás 81'), Gudjonsson (Merino 61'), Denilson; Amato. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Espanyol: Raúl Vates, Tamudo for Alex Fernández, Palencia / Betis: Tais, Luis Fernández, Gudjonsson, Amato for Varela, Mingo, Capi, Joao Tomás.

Goals:
1-0. 79. Palencia. Took pass from Oscar and drove low shot wide of keeper.
1-1. 87. Joao Tomás. Beat offside trap to take Tais pass and place ball past Mora.

Espanyol once again threw away the lead in the last few minutes of their match, drawing 1-1 with Betis after substitute Joao Tomás scored an equaliser for the visitors two minutes from the end. The match was a lively affair with both sides creating scoring opportunities and the two keepers on top form. Amato and Gudjonsson both came in to the Betis side for this game in place of the suspended Capi and the out of favour Joao Tomas, and Mora kept out early efforts from both of them. At the other end Prats made a one-handed save from Espanyol captain Tamudo (who was just back from a one match ban), and shortly before half time Betis claimed the ball had crossed the goal line when Mora cleared an Amato header at the last second.

Paco Flores replaced the injured David García at half time, and brought on Palencia and then Oscar later on. Gradually the home side took control, and Filipescu had to clear off the line from Tamudo. A few minutes later the two substitutes combined for Oscar to set up Palencia for his fourth of the season, but the visitors levelled the scores three minutes from the end when their late substitute Joao Tomas beat the offside trap to crash the ball past Mora. And then Amato almost snatched the three points for Betis in injury time when he got the ball in the net, but referee Ansuategui Roca ruled it out for a non-existent offside, much to the relief of the home team supporters. At the end of the day it was status quo, with Espanyol staying in thirteenth place and Betis remaining in eighth, albeit only a point behind fourth placed Celta.