First Division - Day 22

Deportivo La Coruña 1 - Sevilla 0

Deportivo: Molina; Manuel Pablo, Andrade, César, Romero; Sergio (Duscher 56', Scaloni 75'), Mauro Silva; Valerón, Luque (Fran 85'); Diego Tristán. 4-2-3-1.
Sevilla: Esteban; Daniel Alves, Alfaro, Javi Navarro, David; Oscar, Bezares (Carlos 54'); Gallardo (Sergio Ramos 66'), Baptista, Antonio López; Hornos (Antoñito 46'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Deportivo: Romero, Víctor for Capdevila, Duscher / Sevilla: Oscar, Bezares, Gallardo, Antonio López, Hornos for Torrado, Martí, Redondo, Reyes, Darío Silva.

Goals:
1-0. 28. Diego Tristán (penalty). After Alfaro fouled Tristán himself in area.

Third placed Deportivo kept in touch with the top two after a 1-0 win against a Sevilla side who were thinking more about their midweek cup semi-final with Real Madrid than on this match. Joaquín Caparros rested some of his key players and paid the price as his young midfield were over-run by their more experienced opponents, and Uruguayan striker Hornos was not able to convert a couple of chances which fell to him in the first half.

The locals though had most of the opportunities before the break, with Luque just failing to beat Esteban midway through the half, and the Galicians took the lead with a Diego Tristán penalty after referee Moreno Delgado decided that a push on the striker by Pablo Alfaro was enough to merit a spot kick.

Tristán had a goal disallowed after the break for a borderline offside, and Esteban and his defence were able to keep out a couple more efforts from Luque. Sevilla did have a late chance to save a point when Baptista put a free kick over the bar in the dying minutes, but it would not have been deserved. Depor were back on track after their defeat the week before in Bilbao, and they stay four points behind second placed Valencia.