Mallorca 0 - Real Sociedad 2

Mallorca: Roa; Campano (Novo 70'), Olaizola, Fernando Niño, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Robles (Paunovic 70'), Marcos, Ibagaza (Carlos 70'); Eto'o, Luque. 5-3-2.
Real Sociedad: Westerveld; López Rekarte, Jauregui, Kvarme, Gurrutxaga, Aranzábal; Tayfun, Xabi Alonso, Idiakez, De Pedro (Khokhlov 80'); Kovacevic (De Paula 70'). 5-4-1.

Team changes: Mallorca: Campano, Robles, Luque for Nadal, Paco Soler, Losada / Real Sociedad: Gurrutxaga, Idiakez for Aranburu, Khokhlov.

Goals:
0-1. 49. Kovacevic. Got ahead of defenders to head down López Rekarte cross.
0-2. 73. Kovacevic. Bundled ball into net after corner from right touched on.

Real Sociedad beat relegation rivals Mallorca with two Kovacevic goals to move away from the bottom spots into their highest position all season, thirteenth place. Caretaker manager Roberto Olabe opted for a five man defence for this game, with two of the youngsters he has coached, Gurrutxaga and Jauregui, lining up with Kvarme at the back. Luque returned for Sergio Kresic's side, and he too lined up with three central defenders, although the absence of the suspended Nadal and the injured Miguel Soler was noted. The home side missed a couple of chances to open the scoring in the first half, in particular from Luque and Ibagaza midway through the half when Westerveld saved from the young striker and the Argentine midfielder shot wide on the follow up. The on-form De Pedro, back in Camacho's Spanish squad, was causing some problems though for Roa at the other end, and he almost scored with a lob which went very close.

Mallorca paid the price though for their failed chances when Kovacevic got in front of a slow Roa to head a long cross from López Rekarte down in to the net just after the restart. Referee Téllez Sánchez turned down an appeal from the home side for a penalty when Kvarme handled in the area, but a few minutes later Kovacevic got his second of the night, forcing the ball home after Tayfun touched on a corner from the right. Kresic made a triple change, but Real were not going to let go of their lead, and they record their second victory in a row under Olabe to move two points ahead of their opponents. Mallorca drop to fifteenth, level on points with Villarreal and Osasuna and only two points above bottom side Tenerife.