Real Sociedad 1 - Osasuna 0

Real Sociedad: Westerveld; López Rekarte, Kvarme, Schürrer, Aranzábal; Xabi Alonso, Alkiza (Aranburu 77'); Karpin (Prieto 75'), Nihat, Gabilondo; Kovacevic (Jauregi 87'). 4-2-3-1.
Osasuna: Sanzol; Izquierdo, Cruchaga, Mateo, Antonio López; Puñal, Pablo García; Valdo (Muñoz 75'), Webó (Aloisi 84'), Moha (Pinheiro 86'); Bakayoko. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Real: Alkiza, Gabilondo for Aranburu, De Pedro / Osasuna: Sanzol, Cruchaga, Webó for Elía, Cuéllar, Iván Rosado.

Goals:
1-0. 76. Kovacevic. Got ahead of defence to head Rekarte cross down into net..

Fourth placed Osasuna put up a spirited fight against neighbours Real Sociedad, but in the end lost by a single goal. Javier Aguirre's side started strongly and could have scored early on, with Westerveld saving from Valdo and Moha shooting over the bar. After the criticisms received for leaving out key players against Juventus midweek, Denoueix put his best side, except for De Pedro who was suffering from fever, and the ever dangerous Nihat celebrated his return testing Sanzol a couple of times later in the half. At the other end Pablo García sent a free kick whistling over the bar, and referee Tristante Oliva turned down Valdo's claims for a penalty after he was brought down by Kvarme. The best chance of the first half though fell to Schürrer, Sanzol saving at full stretch from his header following a corner.

The second half continued in the same vein, with Nihat in particular unable to beat Sanzol and then heading just over the bar, and Kovacevic going close. By now the visitors were happy with a point, but López Rekarte had other ideas, finding Kovacevic with a long cross for him to head the ball down into the bottom corner of the net. Aguirre was clearly unhappy about a possible foul on Bakayoko leading up to the goal, but his protests only earned him a red card from the referee. Real had won this particular Basque derby, and they move back up to sixth in the table, two points behind their opponents who are still hold on to fourth spot.