Alavés 0 - Betis 1

Alavés: Dutruel; Karmona (Geli 77'), Abelardo, Téllez, Llorens; Luis Helguera, Pablo; Magno (Rubén Navarro 60'), Tomic, Iván Alonso; Ilie (Mara 77'). 4-2-3-1.
Betis: Prats; Filipescu, Juanito, Belenguer, Luis Fernández; Marcos Assunçao, Ito; Joaquín, Fernando (Cañas 85'), Benjamín (Capi 53'); Dani (Arzu 70'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Alavés: Téllez, Magno, Tomic, Ilie for Geli, Astudillo, Mara, Rubén Navarro / Betis: Belenguer, Ito, Dani for Varela, Arzu, Maldonado.

Goals:
0-1. 56. Fernando. Turned ball past Dutruel after Joaquin passed in from by-line.

Disappointment at Alavés, where a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Betis ended their five year run in the top flight. With news of Osasuna's goals coming through the tannoy system, the mood in Vitoria was black, and the weather matched it as rain clouds rolled in. Fans at the Mendizorroza stadium had not seen their side win in six games, and it looked as though nothing was going to change as Dutruel had to save from Juanito at point blank range and Dani was put off his stride by Llorens when he lined up to shoot.

By half time Osasuna were two goals up, and the fans stood dejectedly as a thunderstorm raged. Within ten minutes it was all over, a great run by Joaquín ending with a cross to the feet of Fernando and the visitors were in front. A quarter of an hour from the end Téllez summed up their frustrations when he was sent off for punching Capi, and as the game came to end several of the home team players were in tears. Betis had won to keep open their slim chances of European football, Osasuna's victory was confirmed and Alavés were down and out.