Alavés 2 - Zaragoza 1

Alavés: Herrera; Geli, Coloccini, Téllez, Llorens; Pablo, Turiel; Magno (Mara 64'), Jordi Cruyff (Desio 88'), Ibon Begoña; Iván Alonso (Rubén Navarro 70'). 4-2-3-1.
Zaragoza: Láinez; Rebosio, César (Esquerdinha 46'), Paco, Pablo (Toro Acuña 50'); Komljenovic, José Ignacio; Marcos Vales, Juanele, Garitano (Galletti 60'); Milosevic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Alavés: Geli, Magno, Iván Alonso for Lombardi, Astudillo, Rubén Navarro / Zaragoza: César, Komljenovic, Marcos Vales, Garitano for Cuartero, Aragón, Toro Acuña, Galletti.

Goals:
1-0. 10. Rebosio (own goal). Ball bounced off chest after Lainez saved Jordi cross.
2-0. 47. Geli. Free kick from edge of area through defensive wall into bottom of net.
2-1. 74. Marcos Vales. Chested ball in from a metre out after Milosevic pass.

Struggling Zaragoza lost 2-1 at Alavés and look more and more like relegation material after going nine games without a win. Even the change of manager does not appear to have made much difference, and after a couple of promising draws Marcos Alonso's side are drifting back into their old ways. The manager made another four changes to his line up this week, with Toro Acuña finally not making the starting line up after crying off from Paraguay's midweek friendly with a twisted knee. On the home team bench, Mané also brought in three new faces, with Astudillo missing out through suspension and Iván Alonso replacing the off-form Rubén Navarro. The Zaragoza fans are not abandoning their side, and some 2,500 filled up two specially chartered trains to give their side some solid support.

Unfortunately though their team seem to be missing their own particular train, and they were overpowered right from the start when Magno forced a corner against them and Turiel sent a header just wide. The pressure paid off and Alavés took the lead in the tenth minute, albeit somewhat fortunately. Lainez, probably disturbed by the sun in his face, failed to get a clean touch on Jordi Cruyff's centre and could only push it against Rebosio for it to rebound in to the net. The keeper made up for his mistake when he got his fingertips to a low shot from Ibon Begoña to push it round the post, and the visitors came back with two efforts from Garitano, the first well saved by Herrera and the second blocked by Coloccini.

Just before the break Turiel sent a header against the post from a Geli free kick, and a minute after the restart Alavés extended their lead with another free kick from the right back, the defensive wall opening up like a coconut to let his low shot through and in to the net. Alonso had no option but to bring on Acuña, and although clearly not 100% he came close to beating Herrera with a shot from outside of the area. With fifteen minutes to go a good run by Milosevic on the left of goal left Marcos Vales with the easy task of forcing the ball over the line with his chest, but they were unable to make any further headway and Alavés almost scored again when substitute Rubén Navarro sent a shot crashing against the bar. Zaragoza stay in next to bottom place, and with visits from Celta and Barcelona to come, and a tricky away match at Villarreal in between, Alonso's side could be relegated for the first time in 24 years. Alavés though move up two places to seventh, and are back on line for a return to Europe next season.