Numancia 1 - Real Madrid 2

Numancia: Alvaro Nuñez; Pignol, Jaime Molina, Antonio, Palacios (Lee Chun Soo 82'), Tarantino; Miguel Pérez, Pablo Sanz, Juanlu (Pineda 72'); Tevenet, Miguel. 5-3-2.
Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Samuel, Iván Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Beckham, Gravesen, Figo (Guti 72'), Zidane (Portillo 85'); Raúl (Solari 78'), Owen. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Numancia: Tarantino, Pablo Sanz, Juanlu, Miguel for for Otxoa, Graff, Ros, Pineda / Madrid: Owen for Ronaldo.

Goals:
0-1. 63. Beckham. Bent long free kick down into far bottom corner of net.
0-2. 83. Michel Salgado. Ran on to Owen pass and held off defender to score.
1-2. 88. Miguel. Steered header wide of Casillas from Miguel Pérez free kick.

Real Madrid kept in touch with leaders Barcelona after a belaboured 1-2 win at bottom club Numancia. The match was in doubt up until the morning before kick off due to the icy conditions, but eventually went ahead after an improvement in the weather. However playing conditions were difficult on the frozen pitch, and the players came out wearing additional clothing to protect them from the intense cold.

Figo hit the post with a deflected shot early on, but Casillas had to tip a dangerous Tevenet shot away for a corner a few minutes later. And soon afterwards the keeper saved the day when he dived to stop a penalty from the Numancia forward after Iván Helguera had been penalized for holding on to Miguel López in the penalty area.

Only Figo had been causing any problems for Nuñez in the local goal, but Madrid eventually went ahead when Beckham beat the keeper with a well struck free kick midway through the second half, a repeat of the goal he scored when the two sides met in the Bernabeu stadium earlier in the season.

The visitors were lucky to be let off a penalty when Gravesen appeared to touch the ball with his hand in the area, and a few minutes later they went two up when Owen took a pass from Guti and slipped the ball through the legs of Jaime Molina for Salgado to run on and score.

The two goal advantage only lasted five minutes though before Miguel headed one back from Miguel Pérez's free kick, and Casillas had to keep out a late effort from Pineda which was dipping under the bar. In the end though three points for Luxemburgo's side, who stay seven points behind Barcelona but extend their advantage over third placed Valencia to the same extent.