Recreativo Huelva 1 - Real Sociedad 3

Recreativo: Almunia; Javi García, Alex, Yago (Quique Romero 70'), Espinola (Mario Bermejo 80'); Camacho, Cubillo; Gallego, Viqueira, Oscar Arpón (Xisco 62'); Raúl Molina. 4-2-3-1.
Real Sociedad: Westerveld; López Rekarte, Jauregi, Schürrer, Aranzábal; Xabi Alonso, Aranburu (Khokhlov 80'); Karpin, Nihat (Llorente 85'), Gabilondo (Tayfun 72'); Kovacevic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Recreativo: Almunia, Yago, Gallego for Luque, Loren, Kaiku / Real: Gabilondo for De Pedro.

Goals:
1-0. 39. Raúl Molina. Controlled pass from Viqueira and shot low past keeper.
1-1. 42. Nihat. Ran on to Kovacevic headed pass to round Almunia and score.
1-2. 57. Nihat. Cut in from left wing to shoot wide of keeper.
1-3. 93. Llorente. Turned ball past Almunia from Khokhlov cross.

Real Sociedad kept up the momentum at the top of the table, although they had to come from behind to eventually beat bottom club Recreativo Huelva 1-3. On paper it looked an easy tie for the Basque side, but Recre (the league's oldest club) were celebrating their 113th anniversary, and an 18,000 crowd turned up to spurr on their side. For most of the first half the Andalucians looked more like the leaders than their opponents, with Raúl Molina hitting the post with a header, and Gallego sending another effort just over the bar. Five minutes before half time they deservedly took the lead, Espinola's run down the wing ended with him finding Viqueira, who played the ball on for Raúl Molina to beat Westerveld.

The only danger from Real in the first half had come from Nihat free kicks, and the Turkish forward proved he is the man on form at the moment, levelling the scores almost immediately after Kovacevic had headed on a long ball out of defence. Then twelve minutes in to the second half he was there again, winning the ball off Alex on the left wing and racing in to place his shot wide of Almunia, who was making his first start for the club in place of the suspended Luque.

Westerveld had to be at his best to scramble away a long shot soon afterwards, and the visitors were left with ten men after Kovacevic picked up a second booking for a foul. By now though Real were in control, and despite Recre playing with four forwards, only a long shot from Espinola caused any problems for the Dutch keeper. Then in injury time substitutes Khokhlov and Llorente combined for Llorente to turn the ball past Almunia to make sure of the result. Denoueix's side open up a record seven point gap over second placed Valencia, and with 35 points they equal the best ever start to the season, which was set by Real Madrid in 1996. Who is to say they will not go all the way?