Real Sociedad 0 - Betis 4

Real Sociedad: Westerveld; López Rekarte, Schürrer, Kvarme, Aranzábal; Xabi Alonso (Alkiza 62'), Aranburu; Karpin (De Paula 62'), Nihat (Boris 72'), Gabilondo; Kovacevic. 4-2-3-1.
Betis: Contreras; Juanito, Lembo, Rivas (Varela 66'), Mingo; Arzu (Cañas 80'), Ito; Joaquín, Capi, Ismael; Dani (Tote 60'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Real: Aranburu, Nihat for Alkiza, De Paula / Betis: Mingo, Ismael for Luis Fernández, Fernando.

Goals:
0-1. 05. Capi. Angled header down into bottom corner from Ismael cross.
0-2. 15. Joaquín. Cut in from right wing and hit shot under Westerveld.
0-3. 49. Juanito. Following up after Dani shot blocked by keeper.
0-4. 59. Joaquín. Lifted ball over Westerveld and rolled shot into net.

Real Sociedad's league season is going from bad to worse, and they fell 0-4 to a Betis side who themselves are struggling in the lower half of the table. Real's manager Reynald Denoueix was celebrating the fact that his contract had just been extended for another year, and he could count on Nihat in his starting line up after he recovered from a knock. But his side found themselves behind in the fifth minute when Capi got on the end of Ismael's cross to head past Westerveld, and Joaquín added a second ten minutes later with an individualist run.

Midway through the first half Kovacevic got the ball in the net, but for the third game in a row the referee disallowed it for a non existent offside. The Basques kept on fighting, but four minutes into the second half they fell further behind when Juanito turned a loose ball in from close up after Capi's shot was deflected off Dani onto Westerveld, González Vázquez this time choosing to ignore that Dani was standing in an offside position.

By then the Real fans were baying for the referee's blood, but they were silenced a few minutes later when Joaquín made it four with his second goal of the night. To make matters worse Aranburu was shown a second yellow card later on, and with Alkiza picking up a fifth yellow of the season, Denoueix will have to put out a makeshift midfield for the next league match.

Before that though they have to survive the visit of Galatasaray, which should not be a problem in normal circumstances, but with the side now in the relegation zone after Sunday's results their confidence is not at its best. Betis went home triumphant though, and manager Víctor Fernández lives to fight another day. How things can change in a short period of time.