Deportivo La Coruña 4 - Espanyol 1

Deportivo: Molina; Manuel Pablo, Andrade, Pablo Amo (Capdevila 63'), Romero; Sergio, Duscher; Scaloni, Fran (Valerón 15'), Luque (Munitis 77'); Diego Tristán. 4-2-3-1.
Espanyol: Kameni; Ibarra, Lopo, Pochettino, David García; Soldevilla, Fredson; Maxi, De la Peña (Morales 82'), Amavisca (Oscar Serrano 55'); Tamudo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Deportivo: Pablo Amo, Scaloni, Fran for César, Munitis, Valerón / Espanyol: Soldevilla, Fredson, Tamudo for Ito, Corominas, Jonathan.

Goals:
1-0. 10. Andrade. Turned ball back in to net after Tristán blocked shot from Amo.
1-1. 17. Fredson. Got on the end of De la Peña free kick to turn the ball into net.
2-1. 22. Diego Tristán. Ran on to Valerón through ball to slide shot under Kameni.
3-1. 62. Diego Tristán (penalty). After Tristán himself tripped by Pochettino.
4-1. 81. Valerón. Headed Munitis free kick back down past Kameni.

Espanyol dropped out of the top four after a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Deportivo La Coruña, who had not won in their Riazor stadium for two months before this match. Andrade started things off with a first goal in the tenth minute, scrambling the ball into the net after Diego Tristán had got in the way of Pablo Amo's previous shot. The visitors fought back, Maxi shooting just over the bar before Fredson got on the end of De la Peña's free kick to equalise. But Tristán put his side back in front after running on to a through ball from early substitute Valerón to beat Kameni. And they could have been further ahead by the break, Kameni saving from Luque and Tristán wasting another chance.

Lotina brought on Oscar Serrano for ex Depor winger Amavisca early in the second half, but the locals continued to attack, Luque hitting the post with a shot from outside of the area. And on the hour mark referee Mejuto González awarded them a penalty when Tristán fell under a challenge from Pochettino, earning the protests of the visitors after showing a red card to the defender. Tristán beat Kameni from the spot though, and Valerón wrapped things up later on with a headed goal from a Munitis free kick to leave the Catalans out of the Champions League spots.