Villarreal 0 - Real Sociedad 1

Villarreal: Reina; Quique Alvarez (Guayre 60'), Ballesteros, Unai, Arruabarrena; Belletti, Marcos Senna, Josico (Aranda 62'), Jorge López; Víctor (Calleja 82'), Palermo. 4-4-2.
Real Sociedad: Westerveld; López Rekarte, Jauregi, Schürrer, Aranzábal; Karpin, Xabi Alonso, Boris, De Pedro (Aranburu 92'); Nihat, Khokhlov (Tayfun 62'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Villarreal: Unai, Josico for Berruet, Quique Medina / Real: De Pedro, Khokhlov for Gabilondo, Kovacevic.

Goals:
0-1. 36. Nihat. Far post header after defence failed to cut out Rekarte cross.

Real Sociedad maintained their three point lead at the top of the table after a 0-1 victory over Villarreal. The San Sebastian side were missing the injured Kovacevic, and in his absence his on-form strike partner Nihat lead the attack together with Khokhlov. The threat though came from the wings, where Karpin and De Pedro caused havoc in the local defence in the opening minutes.

Villarreal came in to the game with an undefeated run of four games, which included a win over Deportivo and a draw at Real Madrid, but only Senna was able to restore any calm as the visitors came forward. Ten minutes before the break Real took the lead, Ballesteros and Reina misjudging a long López Rekarte cross allowing Nihat to head into an empty net on the far post.

The introduction of Guayre and Aranda in the second half gave Villarreal a more attacking formation, but Denoueix had prepared for that and set up his stall accordingly, pulling in his defence and looking for chances on the break. Reina had to be at his best to save from Khokhlov, and Nihat uncharacteristically failed to connect with the goal gaping in front of him.

Only in the last minutes did the locals get close to Westerveld, with Palermo (who has yet to score in the league this season) just failing to reach an angled shot from Aranda which was going wide. Real go further ahead at the top, and there is already talk of a possible repeat of the double championship winning side of the early eighties. Benito Floro's team though are on the brink of the relegation zone after this defeat.