Málaga 1 - Deportivo La Coruña 1

Málaga: Calatayud; Gerardo, Josemi, Litos, Valcarce (Canabal 30'); Miguel Angel, Leko; Edgar (Manu 74'), Insúa, Duda; Salva. 4-2-3-1.
Deportivo: Munúa; Héctor, César (Amavisca 75'), Andrade, Capdevila; Duscher, Mauro Silva; Víctor (Sergio 70'), Djalminha, Fran (Romero 57'); Diego Tristán. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Málaga: Litos, Miguel Angel, Duda for Fernando Sanz, Romero, Diego Alonso / Deportivo: Mauro Silva, Djalminha for Sergio, Luque.

Goals:
0-1. 21. Víctor. Picked up Duscher pass on right and struck low shot past keeper.
1-1. 41. Canabal. Shot on far post from Insúa's cross which Munúa couldn't stop.

Deportivo La Coruña frustrated Málaga's chances of moving up to the UEFA spots when they held them to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night. Irureta made eight changes to the side which drew at Porto in their Champions' League semi-final, but were on top from the start with Diego Tristán shooting over the bar when free in front of goal and César heading Djalminha's free kick against the post. And with just over twenty minutes gone the visitors took the lead when Víctor picked up a pass from Duscher to beat Calatayud.

The home side's only shot at goal up to then had been from a long effort from Insúa which brushed the outside of the post, and manager Juande Ramos decided to make an early change, bringing on an extra forward Canabal with only half an hour gone. It proved to be a good move as the striker got on the end of a cross from the left shortly before the break to level the scores, Depor keeper Munúa unable to keep the ball out even though the shot was relatively week.

Málaga came out fighting after the break, and Salva tested Munúa three times in as many minutes early on. Litos also headed just wide from a corner, and for a few minutes it looked as if we were in for an exciting second half. But Depor slowed the game down after that, and the only incident worthy of note was a possible penalty late on when Andrade pushed Litos following a corner. The Galicians had come away with a point which keeps them safely in the Champions' League spots. Málaga stay a point outside of the top six, and will have to wait for another day.