Málaga 0 - Real Sociedad 2

Málaga: Contreras; Josemi, Fernando Sanz, Roteta, Valcarce; Miguel Angel, Romero, Sandro, Musampa; Darío Silva (Leko 83'), Dely Valdés (Canabal 83'). 4-4-2.
Real Sociedad: Westerveld; López Rekarte, Kvarme, Jauregi, Boris; Xabi Alonso, Aranburu; Karpin (Tayfun 94'), Nihat, De Pedro (Gabilondo 76'); Kovacevic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Málaga: Romero, Darío Silva for Gerardo, Manu / Real: Boris for Gabilondo.

Goals:
0-1. 78. Gabilondo. Header in off bar after López Rekarte crossed from by-line.
0-2. 88. Kovacevic. Picked up pass from Kvarme and cut past defender to score.

Real Sociedad stay a point ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table after a late 0-2 win at Málaga. It was a controversial match though, with referee González Vázquez turning down a penalty for the home side and leaving them with ten men with the scores still level in the second half.

Real Madrid's victory the day before meant that the San Sebastian side had to win to hold on to the leadership, but they were unable to take control against a home side who still had an outside chance of a place in the UEFA cup. Only Nihat troubled Contreras, and at the other end Darío Silva headed a good chance over the bar when free in front of goal.

Ten minutes in to the second half Xabi Alonso appeared to block Sandro's shot with his arm, but Sr. González waved away the appeals, booking Valcarce and Sandro for protesting. It was a turning point, as seven minutes later De Pedro slipped under a challenge from Sandro, and although the midfielder didn't appear to touch his opponent, the referee produced a second yellow and he was off (but not without insulting the official when leaving the field).

With their opponents down to ten men the visitors took advantage to take the lead through substitute Gabilondo twelve minutes from the end, his well placed header from a López Rekarte cross beating Contreras. Peiró changed his front two and Málaga threw everything forward, but that left them open at the back and Kovacevic made it two in the dying minutes in a quick counter-attack. Real were still a point ahead, and are still in line for their first league title in twenty years.