First Division - Day 4

Deportivo La Coruña 1 - Valencia 5

Deportivo: Molina; Manuel Pablo, Andrade, César, Capdevila; Scaloni, Sergio; Munitis (Romero 78'), Valerón, Luque; Pandiani (Héctor 80'). 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres, David Navarro, Marchena, Carboni; Albelda, Baraja; Rufete, Di Vaio, Vicente; Corradi. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Deportivo: Luque for Fran / Valencia: Carboni, Albelda, Rufete, Corradi for Moretti, Sissoko, Angulo, Aimar.

Goals:
0-1. 16. Corradi. Got free on far post to turn Baraja's low cross past Molina.
0-2. 35. Di Vaio. Got ahead of Molina to flick Rufete's long cross into net.
0-3. 42. Vicente. Cut in from left wing and hit right foot shot around keeper.
0-4. 44. Rufete. Picked up Baraja through ball and rounded keeper to score.
0-5. 50. Baraja. Shot low into net after Di Vaio passed back from inside area.
1-5. 61. Pandiani. Collected pass in from Valerón and placed shot past Cañizares.

A magnificent display by Valencia, who are back on top of the league table after thrashing Deportivo 1-5 in the Riazor stadium. The league champions could count on Cañizares after he passed a late fitness test, but he was only threatened early on when Munitis and Pandiani both failed to take advantage of their chances. And with just over a quarter of an hour gone Marchena put Baraja away on the right of the area for him to pick out Corradi for the first goal.

After that the visitors were on top, and they were to score three more in a ten minute period to wrap up the match before the interval. Di Vaio got in between César and Molina to produce a delicate flick in the air with his ankle to score the second, Vicente fired in the third with his not-often-used right foot, and Rufete picked up an incisve through ball from Baraja to make it four.

The crowd whistled off their players and Irureta made two changes at the break, but it was more of the same after the restart when Di Viao ran on to the by-line and crossed in for Baraja to score on the far post. Pandiani did get a consolation goal after that, his fourth in as many games, but the game was already over. Depor's win in Bilbao a few days ago was already forgotten, and when César and Irureta exchanged words after the defender was substituted near the end the fans looked concerned. It could be a long hard season for the Galicians on this showing.