Real Sociedad 3 - Valladolid 1

Real Sociedad: Alberto; Fuentes, Loren, Julio César, Aranzábal; Xavi Alonso, Idiakez (Mikel Alonso 83'); Tayfun, Gabilondo, De Pedro (López Rekarte 67'); Jankauskas (Alejandro 89'). 4-2-3-1.
Valladolid: Bizzarri; Torres Gómez, García Calvo, Heinze, Santamaría; Turiel, Jesús (Alberto 46'); Fernando Sales (Márquez 75'), Fernando, Antonio López; Pachón. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Real: Gabilondo, Jankauskas for Khokhlov, De Paula / Valladolid: Santamaría, Fernando Sales, Antonio López, Pachón for Marcos, Eusebio, Caminero, Ciric, Alberto.

Goals:
1-0. 27. Gabilondo. From close up after low cross by Jankauskas on right wing.
2-0. 34. Gabilondo. Shot from outside of area which went in off crossbar.
3-0. 62. Tayfun. Controlled and shot from inside area after De Pedro pass.
3-1. 91. Pachón. From close range after free kick from left.

Real Sociedad killed two birds with one stone, climbing back out of the relegation spots and at the same time dragging rudderless Valladolid down into the fight for survival with a comfortable victory at Anoeta. Both teams came in to this game with numerous absences, with Real missing Russia's Khokhlov, on international duty, De Paula, suspended and a hospital-full of injuries, and John Toshack was forced to call up several youngsters, with Igor Gabilondo coming in to the starting line up. Toshack himself had to watch the game from the stands after getting himself a red card last week. Valladolid had it worse though, with club president Ignacio Lewin resigning last week (only days after coach Pancho Ferraro) after the Caja de España failed to put up a loan to help solve their financial difficulties. Caretaker manager Pepe Moré was left holding the baby, with players disanimated after not collecting their wages for several weeks, and several players not available, including Kaviedes and Peña with their national teams, Eusebio, Ciric and Caminero injured and Marcos suspended.

Real started off flat out, with Bizzarri keeping out shots by De Pedro and Idiakez as the blue and white shirts advanced. The visitors held back the tide until Gabilondo finally broke through, placing the ball past the Argentinian keeper after Jankauskas crossed from out on the right wing. A few minutes later the youngster got his second of the night, catching Bizzarri off his line with a superb strike from well outside of the area which rocketed in off the crossbar. Only Bizzarri kept the score decent by half time as Aranzábal joined the attack, and at the break Moré decided to change things around, bringing on Alberto to add weight to his strike force. Within three minutes he had forced his namesake into a good save, but from then on it was back to the visitors' half, with Bizzarri once again called upon to bail out his leaking defence.

Inevitably Real got a third around the hour mark, Tayfun getting his second in two games, and Real went into cruise control. Toshack brought on two of his youngsters for their first team debuts, Alberto Alejandro and Mikel Alonso, brother of Xavi and son of Periko, who managed the team earlier in the season. With the players watching the Mexican wave rather than the ball, Pachón got a late consolation goal, but nobody really noticed. John Toshack is on his way to being given the freedom of San Sebastian, his team now having gone five games without defeat. Valladolid's abysmal away record continues, and they must now be firm candidates for the drop. However if they don't find new shareholders and/or financiers soon, it could be even worse. Anyone interested? Going once, going twice, .....