First Division - Day 20

Real Sociedad 3 - Espanyol 1

Real Sociedad: Alberto; Potillón, Kvarme, Schürrer, Aranzábal; (Xabi Alonso (Alkiza 61'), Aranburu; Karpin, Nihat, Gabilondo; Kovacevic. 4-2-3-1.
Espanyol: Lemmens; Domoraud, Lopo, Pochettino, David García (Vignal 55'); Morales (Oscar 84'), Alex Fernández (Toni Velamazán 61'); Maxi, De la Peña, Jordi Cruyff; Tamudo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Real: Aranzábal, Xabi Alonso for López Rekarte, Alkiza / Espanyol: Alex Fernández for Fredson.

Goals:
1-0. 07. Karpin (penalty). After Pochettino cut down Kovacevic in the area.
2-0. 85. Gabilondo. Shot into roof of net after Karpin laid ball across from right.
3-0. 89. Nihat. Ran through defence and chipped ball over advancing Lemmens.
3-1. 91. Jordi Cruyff. Got on the end of De la Peña free kick to head past Alberto.

A third win in a row for Real Sociedad helped them move away from the bottom spots up to thirteenth place. It was a relatively comfortable 3-1 victory over next to bottom club Espanyol, even though the visitors had early chances through Maxi and Tamudo. Karpin put the Basques ahead though from the penalty spot in the seventh minute after Pochettino fouled Kovacevic, the first goal that Lemmens had let past him in the new year.

Kovacevic wasted a chance to extend the lead a few minutes later when he shot wide when Gabilondo was standing unmarked in front of goal, and the visitors held on until five minutes from the end, when Gabilondo made it two after Karpin set him up. Nihat put the result beyond doubt though four minutes later before Jordi Cruyff got a late consolation goal for the Catalans.