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La Liga

Deportivo La Coruna ground out a hard-fought win at Racing Santander to move level on points with fourth-placed Valencia.

Valencia dominated for long periods at home to sixth-placed Mallorca yesterday, but wasted a string of excellent goalscoring opportunities and were forced to settle for a disappointing 1-1 draw after conceding a late penalty.

That meant Deportivo could draw level with Unai Emery's side with victory at struggling Racing.

And with just 14 minutes remaining, Albert Lopo struck to give the Galicians their eighth league success in 12 matches.

Deportivo have been very much the surprise package so far this season and came into this match on the back of two consecutive league victories.

But Racing had a point to prove as well.

The Cantabrians had won just one league match prior to this one and recently parted company with coach Juan Carlos Mandia.

New man Miguel Angel Portugal had led the team for the first time at Real Madrid last weekend, but that game ended in a 1-0 defeat.

Portugal will have been hoping to secure a first league win of the season at home in his second spell as coach of Racing.

But Deportivo had not lost at El Sardinero since 1996 and proved a difficult adversary early on.

The Galicians looked more fluid in possession and appeared to show more initiative going forward against a Racing side lacking in confidence.

Nevertheless, the visitors had to wait until midway through the opening half for the first real chance of note, when Riki lashed a ferocious left-footed drive just wide of the target from distance.

Racing keeper Tono came out well to claim Sergio Gonzalez's dangerous free-kick as the visitors threatened again 15 minutes later.

Despite their lack of ideas, the home side were defending well and there were no signs of the defensive ineptitude all too familiar under previous coach Mandia.

The two sides went in level at the break and that was about fair, given that neither team had created a clear goalscoring opportunity in the opening 45 minutes.

After the break, Daniel Aranzubia almost made a mess of Alex Geijo's effort, but the Depor keeper saved at the second attempt.

The second half, like the first, was proving to be a tight affair and it seemed likely that one goal would win the game.

That was indeed the case and the goal fell to Deportivo after 76 minutes.

Riki touched on Andres Guardado's dangerous cross from the left and Lopo got the vital touch to poke home from close-range and give Miguel Angel Lotina's side a precious lead with time running out.

Gonzalo Colsa struck the post six minutes later as Racing came roaring back, but the Cantabrians found no way through after that and slipped to a fourth straight league defeat.

Portugal's side are in the relegation zone now, although, curiously, all of the bottom four teams have seven points from their 12 games.

Depor, meanwhile, are still bang on form and remain in the hunt for a Champions League place for the first time since 2004/2005.