First Division - Day 22

Real Sociedad 3 - Valencia 3

Real Sociedad: Riesgo; Zubiaurre, Luiz Alberto, Labaka, Garrido; Aranburu, Mikel Alonso, Karpin, Nihat, Xabi Prieto (Larrea 78'); Kovacevic (De Paula 64'). 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: Cañizares; Caneira, Marchena, David Navarro, Moretti; Albelda, Baraja; Fiore, Di Vaio (Aimar 60'), Fabio Aurelio (Xisco 60'); Corradi (Mista 71'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Real Sociedad: Zubiaurre, Garrido, Nihat, Xabi Prieto for López Rekarte, Rossato, Alkiza, Gabilondo / Valencia: David Navarro, Corradi for Ayala, Aimar.

Goals:
0-1. 09. Di Vaio. Ran on to long ball out of defence to shoot wide of keeper.
1-1. 45. Nihat. Connected with Karpin cross to volley long shot past Cañizares.
2-1. 79. Aranburu. Following up after Cañizares failed to hold on to Nihat shot.
2-2. 82. Baraja. Got on the end of Aimar free kick to head down past Riesgo.
2-3. 88. Xisco. First time shot on far post from Fiore's floated cross.
3-3. 91. Nihat. Ran on to Karpin through ball and squeezed shot past Cañizares.

A thrilling match at the Anoeta stadium between Real Sociedad and Valencia, where the lead changed hands three times before the match ended in a 3-3 draw. The visitors went ahead at first, Di Vaio running on to a long ball over the top to beat the offside trap and put his side ahead in the ninth minute. But Real fought back, with Baraja clearing a Luiz Alberto header off the line following a corner, and Marchena almost turning the ball in to his own net a few minutes later. And with the first half already in injury time, Nihat connected with Karpin's long cross to volley a shot which bounced past the surprised keeper in to the net.

There were few incidents from then on though until a quarter of an hour from the end, when substitute Xisco drove the ball into the net from close up after Riesgo dropped a long cross at his feet, only for referee Velasco Carballo to rule it out for offside. And a minute later Real were in front after Cañizares failed to hold on to Nihat's long shot, Aranburu following up to score.

It only took Valencia three minutes to level the scores though, Baraja getting between the defence to head Aimar's free kick down past Riesgo. And with normal time coming to an end, Xisco got on the end of Fiore's cross to fire a first time volley past the keeper and put the visitors back in front. It appeared that the Basque side were heading for a fifth defeat in a row, but with the game in injury time, Karpin shook off three defenders and slipped the ball through for Nihat to get his second of the night to save a deserved point for his side.