Deportivo 1 - Las Palmas 0

Deportivo: Molina; Héctor, Donato, Djorovic, Romero; Víctor (Emerson 85'), Duscher, Sergio, Fran (Amavisca 46'); Pandiani, Diego Tristán (Djalminha 60'). 4-4-2.
Las Palmas: Nacho González; Angel, Olías (Sarasúa 25'), Schurrer, Paqui; Josico, Jayo; Edu Alonso, Jorge (Eloy 70'), Pablo Lago; Rubén (Sequeiros 70'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Deportivo: Héctor, Romero, Duscher, Pandiani, Diego Tristán for Scaloni, Capdevila, Mauro Silva, Valerón, Makaay / Las Palmas: Jayo, Rubén for Samways, Tevenet.

Goals:
1-0. 65. Nacho González (own goal). Punched ball into net from Djalminha corner.

Deportivo La Coruña took advantage of slip ups by the other top teams to move up four places to third and narrow the gap with Real Madrid to three points. Their 1-0 victory over Las Palmas was hard work though, and in the end they only won thanks to a mistake from keeper Nacho González, who punched second half substitute Djalminha's corner into his own net in the second half. With Makaay injured and a cup semi-final coming up in Figueres midweek, Irureta left Valerón and Djalminha on the bench and played with twin strikers Diego Tristán and Pandiani up front. Duscher replaced Mauro Silva, who was also injured, and first choice fullbacks Héctor and Romero came back into the starting line up. Fernando Vázquez was missing the suspended Samways and the injured Tevenet, and Jayo and Rubén were their replacements.

Depor's performance in the first half was disappointing, with a well ordered Las Palmas defence not letting much get through. Vázquez had to change his back four when Olias dislocated his knee in a tackle on Pandiani midway through the first half (thankfully not as serious an injury as first thought), but Sarasúa slotted neatly into his place without any noticeable difference. Diego Tristán was once again not on his best form, unable to finish off any of the chances he was presented with, and he was whistled off the pitch when he was eventually replaced by Djalminha on the hour mark. Las Palmas almost took the lead straight after the change, Molina pulling off a superb point blank save from Pablo Lago when he connected with Edu Alonso's cross.

However the introduction of Djalma brought a new lease of life to the game, and after González had to go full stretch to save a free kick from the Brazilian, the Argentine keeper blotted his copy book with his own goal, albeit under pressure from Víctor. Deportivo held on to take their seventh home victory in a row, making up for their poor form away from the Riazor stadium, and they are now just behind Alavés, the only other side in the top eight who won. Las Palmas's run of six games without defeat comes to an end, but they stay comfortably up in eleventh place in the table.