United and Juve top the group
The only goal came on the half hour from attacking midfielder Hakan Yakin and what a stunning effort it was. The younger of the two Yakin brothers accepted a pass from Julio Hernan Rossi before firing a dipping 25-metre cross shot beyond Juanmi which nestled in the corner.
Earlier, the senior Yakin, Murat, hit a post with a superbly struck swerving free kick from a similar distance.
Deportivo's Dutch international striker Roy Makaay had two close-range efforts saved brilliantly by Pascal Zuberbuehler and a shot from Pedro Duscher was cleared off the line by Sebastien Barberis.
The Spanish side are now rooted to the bottom of Group D with one point from three matches.
There was better luck though for their La Liga rivals Real Madrid who have rekindled their European ambitions after they came from behind to edge out Borussia Dortmund 2-1 with goals from Raul and Ronaldo at the Bernabeu last night.
The European champions, had only managed a point from two games and their chances of progression to the quarters hinged on last night's result.
Those hopes of a spot in the quarter-finals were severely dented when Jan Koller swept in from the edge of the box on 30 minutes to put the German side ahead.
However Raul levelled two minutes before half-time, as he squeezed a shot past two defenders and through the legs of goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. The effort was all the more remarkable as he was lying on the ground at the time.
World Footballer of the year Ronaldo then scored his first Champions League goal for the Spanish giants on 56 minutes when he converted a cross from midfielder Zinedine Zidane, to put the home side ahead.
With four points from three games Real's chances of reaching the quarter-finals are still in question but they will doubtlessly feel a lot more confident after recovering at least some of their customary European poise.
The Group is still headed by the mighty Italian giants, AC Milan, who secured a 1-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow last night, through a 62nd-minute goal from Danish striker Jon Dahl Tomasson. The victory was their third successive success, in the second phase of the competition.
The all important goal arrived when Filippo Inzaghi latched on to a ball into the area from Rui Costa. His low shot was parried by Lokomotiv keeper Sergei Ovchinnikov but the lurking Tomasson reacted quickly to fire home the loose ball.
Milan then went close to a second 12 minutes later when their Brazilian substitute, Serginho, struck the outside of the post after a burst down the left. In the final minute, another winding run from the winger set up Inzaghi whose close range shot was well blocked by Ovchinnikov.
Prior the goal it had been a dull encounter with Milan unable to find a way through a tight Russian defence which was well marshalled by Oleg Pashinin.
Lokomotiv had started promisingly, though, with Maxim Buznikin forcing a save out of Dida with a firm shot in the 13th minute but then the Russians appeared content to keep men behind the ball and frustrate Milan's midfield.
It was only after Tomasson's strike that Lokomotiv opted to push men forward but the Italian defence was able to comfortably deal with the occasional threats.]
Milan had further reason to celebrate as their captain Paolo Maldini equalled Giuseppe Bergomi's Italian record for appearances in European competition when he took the field against Lokomotiv.
Maldini's appearance last night took his total in UEFA competitions to 117 matches and brought him level with the former Inter Milan defender. Maldini, 35, has played a full 90 minutes in all but five of the previous 116 games.
The elegant left-back, who is Italy's most capped player with 126 games, made his league debut for Milan in 1985 and said this week he hoped to play at least one more season with the club.
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