Real Sociedad 1 - Real Madrid 2

Real Sociedad: Bravo; Gerardo, Mikel González, Juanito, Garrido; Diego Rivas, Elustondo (Dani Estrada 86'); Xabi Prieto, Aranburu (Skoubo 60'), Savio; Kovacevic (Herrera 60'). 4-2-3-1.
Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Iván Helguera, Miguel Torres; Gago, Emerson (Diarra 65'); Beckham, Guti (Reyes 80'), Raúl (Higuaín 72'); Van Nistelrooy. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Real: Aranburu, Kovacevic for Uranga, Herrera / Madrid: Cannavaro, Gago, Emerson, Beckham for Michel Salgado, Diarra, Reyes, Higuaín.

Goals:
1-0. 08. Aranburu. Header from close to goal after Casillas pushed out Prieto cross
1-1. 38. Beckham. Long free kick over wall which bounced wide of keeper.
1-2. 49. Van Nistelrooy. Got in front of Bravo to head Miguel Torres cross into net.

Real Madrid moved back up to within two points of the leaders after coming from behind to beat Real Sociedad 1-2 on Saturday evening. The locals went in front in the eighth minute when Casillas could only push a long shot by Xabi Prieto up in the air, and Aranburu ran in to head the ball in from close range. But David Beckham, finally pardoned by Capello and included in the starting line up, beat Bravo with a long free kick shortly before the break. Casillas had to save from Kovacevic and Savio before the break though to keep the scores level.

Just four minutes after the restart Van Nistelrooy got in front of the hesitant Bravo to head a Miguel Torres cross into the net for the second. Lotina's side tried their best after that, Xabi Prieto shooting wide and Casillas saving a Juanito header from a corner, and then stopping another effort from Herrera. Cannavaro was lucky to be let off a penalty appeal after he brought down Herrera near the end, but in the end they held on for an important win which probably keeps Capello in a job, for a while longer at least. Real Sociedad drop further down in the drop zone though, and they are inexorably heading towards the end of a 40 year run in the top flight.