Deportivo win but Real keep up the pressure

Goals from Nourredine Naybet and Alberto Luque within five minutes after the break ensured that Deportivo would stay in pole position. An injury time header from Uruguayan striker Walter Pandiani, the fifth consecutive game in which he has scored, added Deportivo’s third goal.

Real got in front early against Malaga thanks to a 13th minute goal from Ronaldo, the Brazilian tapping the ball in after a David Beckham corner had glanced off the head of Zinedine Zidane. Beckham then got his second league goal for Real after 72 minutes, and the 100th first class strike of his career, with a curling shot from the edge past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Francesc Arnau. Jose Maria ‘Guti’ Gutierrez to put the game beyond doubt by finishing off a counter-attack four minutes from the whistle.