First Division - Day Fifteen
Matches played Sunday, 12th December

Real Sociedad 0 - Deportivo de La Coruña 1

Real Sociedad: Alberto; Guerrero, Antia, Pikabea, Aranzábal; Kühbauer, Gómez; De Paula, Aramburu, De Pedro; Sa Pinto. 4-2-3-1.
Deportivo: Songo'o; Manuel Pablo, Donato, Naybet, Romero; Mauro Silva, Jokanovic; Víctor, Djalminha, Flavio; Makaay. 4-2-3-1.

Deportivo opened up a five point gap at the top with a narrow victory over Real Sociedad. The home team were without López Rekarte and Idiakez, both suspended, but had De Pedro back from injury, and were able to keep Alberto in goal despite having three stitches in a head cut after a nasty traffic accident. Djalminha came back from suspension for Deportivo, but Turu Flores had to drop out at the last minute due to an injury. The only goal of the match came from an unlucky rebound, which Félix Guerrero ended up putting in to his own net in the 37th minute. Real's Juan Gómez was injured in the second half and was replaced by Llorente. The match was played in pouring rain from start to finish. Real Sociedad drop to within a point of the relegation zone, level on points with the two Madrid sides, Real and Atlético.

Celta 1 - Athletic Bilbao 1

Celta: Dutruel; Velasco, Cáceres, Djorovic, Juanfran; Makelele, Celades; Karpin, Mostovoi, Gustavo López; Turdó. 4-2-3-1.
Athletic: Imanol Etxeberria; Lacruz, Alkorta, Carlos García, Lasa; Urrutia, Imaz, Alkiza; Guerrero; Joseba Etxeberria, Ezquerro. 4-3-1-2.

Celta and Bilbao drew in a match which both needed to win to maintain their push at the top. This was the battle of the Fernández, with managers Víctor (Celta) and Luis (Bilbao) (no relation) rated as two of the best in the league. Juanfran and Karpin returned to the home side after suspension, and Lasa got his first start for the visitors in place of the suspended Felipe, and Imaz came in with Urzaiz returning to the bench. Turdó opened the scoring for Celta just before half time with a typical poachers goal, getting to the ball first after Etxeberria had saved from Mostovoi. Ezquerro brought the sides level ten minutes from time from substitute Edu Alonso's cross. Celta stay second but lose ground on Deportivo, and Bilbao drop to ninth.

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