Sociedad ambitions hampered

Osasuna could not get the win they needed to arrest a poor run of form in a goalless draw against Real Sociedad.

Osasuna could not get the win they needed to arrest a poor run of form that has them hovering just above the relegation zone, but did enough to frustrate Real Sociedad's European ambitions in a poor match Pamplona. There were desperately few chances of note at either end, although Sociedad's Imanol Agirretxe was denied by a post midway through the first half with a header from a corner. Otherwise, Osasuna - largely on the backfoot in the match - frustrated their visitors to grind out a point which leaves them four above the bottom three. There were promising signs for an entertaining clash early on as Sociedad created two chances in quick succession, but Andres Fernandez was able to parry Antoine Griezmann's shot before Emiliano Armenteros sent an effort over the crossbar. But more than quarter of an hour passed before Agirretxe headed Gorka Elustondo's header onto the post. And a further 15 minutes passed before the next chance, which saw Sociedad goalkeeper easily hold Miguel De las Cuevas' close-range effort. The second half was not much better. Osasuna pressed early, but De las Cuevas blazed over before Armenteros had a shot charged down by Mikel Gonzalez. Fernandez had to be alert to push Xavi Prieto's shot around the post before Osasuna squandered a pair of openings with neither Francisco Silva nor Armenteros able to find the target. Sociedad were not doing much better as Griezmann fired wide and Diego Ifran saw a poor free-kick easily dealt with.