Racing Santander 1 - Real Sociedad 2

Racing: Lemmens; Coromina, Arzeno, Juanma, Neru; Nafti, Ismael (Edu Aguilar 82'); Pablo Lago (Sarabia 70'), Benayoun, Diego Alonso (Txiki 75'); Javi Guerrero. 4-2-3-1.
Real Sociedad: Westerveld; Kvarme, Jauregi, Boris, López Rekarte; Xabi Alonso, Aranburu; Karpin (Tayfun 75'), Nihat, De Pedro (Barkero 81'); Kovacevic (Mikel Alonso 75'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Racing: Arzeno, Ismael, Pablo Lago, Benayoun, Diego Alonso for Moratón, Diego Mateo, Pineda, Txiki, Bodipo / Real: Boris, López Rekarte for Schürrer, Aranzábal.

Goals:
1-0. 05. Benayoun. Turned ball past Lemmens after Alonso headed back cross.
1-1. 23. Nihat. Bent long free kick over defensive wall wide of keeper.
1-2. 61. Karpin. Turned ball in on far post from low De Pedro free kick.

When Real Sociedad's game at Racing Santander kicked off on Saturday evening, they already knew that their championship rivals Real Madrid had won. They took up the challenge though, and after falling behind they came back to win and stay in second place, a point behind Del Bosque's team. Both managers had to make changes to their sides, Chuchi Cos missing the injured Munitis, Bodipo, Regueiro, Diego Mateo and Moratón and Denoueix without two of his regular defenders Schürrer and team captain Aranzábal, who dropped out at the last minute. The makeshift defence were caught out though early on, Benayoun getting ahead of Jauregi to turn Diego Alonso's headed pass past Westerveld.

Midway through the first half the Dutch keeper just managed to stop Diego Alonso adding a second, and soon afterwards Real were level, Nihat bending a free kick from some 30 yards out over the defensive wall past Lemmens. Racing didn't give up though, and Westerveld made another vital save just after the restart from the ever active Benayoun. Ten minutes later the Cantabrians had another chance to go ahead again when Jauregi brought down Benayoun on the edge of the area, referee Daudén Ibáñez having no hesitation pointing to the spot. However Ismael put his penalty kick over the bar, much to the disgust of certain sections of the crowd.

It was to prove the turning point of the game, and only two minutes later a sleepy defence allowed De Pedro's low free kick to run to Karpin who tapped it in to an empty net for what was to be the winning goal. Real could have added to their lead later on, with Lemmens making up for his lapse of concentration with two excellent saves from Nihat free kicks and another from De Pedro's long shot, and Javi Guerrero came back to defence to head clear an effort from Xabi Alonso. Cos brought on two of his ex Palamos players Sarabia and Edu Aguilar, and the crowd started to get on the back of the manager and his president Piterman, who came out of the dugout to answer them back. Their side ended the game with ten men after Nafti was shown a second yellow card in the final minutes, and they approach the relegation spots again after their third defeat in a row. It was never this hard in the second division B.