Real Sociedad 4 - Málaga 0

Real Sociedad: Alberto; López Rekarte (Fuentes 82'), Loren, Luiz Alberto, Aranzábal; Xavi Alonso, Idiakez; Tayfun, Khokhlov, De Pedro; De Paula (Demetradze 82'). 4-2-3-1.
Málaga: Contreras; Larrainzar, Fernando Sanz, Bravo (Rojas 42'), Roteta; Rufete, Sandro (Edgar 76'), De los Santos, Agostinho (Musampa 46'); Canabal, Dely Valdés. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Real: Luiz Alberto for Julio César / Málaga: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Idiakez. Shot from edge of area after López Rekarte laid ball in from right.
2-0. 34. De Paula. Header over keeper after cross from López Rekarte on right.
3-0. 50. Khokhlov. Took short pass and beat keeper on near post from close up.
4-0. 91. Tayfun. Tap in after Contreras failed to hold Khokhlov shot.

Real Sociedad climbed away from the relegation zone with one of their best performances of the season against a high flying Málaga side who had gone six games without defeat before this match. John Toshack's team dominated from start to finish to record their second win in a row for the first time this season and move up to fifteenth place in the league, three points now above Osasuna in the first relegation spot. In fact it was difficult to believe that they were the team fighting for survival and not their opponents, as Tayfun crashed a shot against the crossbar with only two minutes on the clock. Two minutes later they went in front through Idiakez, and only some off target shooting prevented them from scoring on four or five more occasions in the first half hour.

De Pedro headed the home side further in front before half time, and Khokhlov walked through to score a soft third just after the restart. With the match virtually over Real took their foot off the accelerator, and with Rojas and Musampa on the park for the injured Bravo and for Agostinho, Málaga finally got their first view of Alberto's goal. Dely Valdés put two efforts wide and Musampa finally tested the Basque keeper with three quarters of the game gone. Toshack used the opportunity to give Demetradze another chance in the last few minutes, and with the game approaching the end Tayfun got the goal he deserved after Contreras dropped the ball in front of him from Khokhlov's crossed shot. The San Sebastian side are almost safe, although Toshack warned his players not to be too jubilant just yet as there is still a long way to go. Málaga lose out on the chance to take sixth spot, but with their close rivals for the one remaining UEFA spot all failing to win as well they stay within two points of Celta.