Real Sociedad 0 - 0 Villarreal: Villarreal, Sociedad draw a blank

An under-strength Villarreal bossed their Primera Division encounter against Real Sociedad on Saturday evening but left the Anoeta with just a point after a goalless draw.

Victor Ruiz's disallowed goal two minutes from time was as close as either side went to breaking the deadlock, his header from Jonathan dos Santos' free-kick dubiously ruled out for offside. Ruiz was onside, with team-mate Tomas Pina having slightly strayed.

Sociedad goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli stood firm amid the Villarreal onslaught, with opposite number Sergio Asenjo on hand seven minutes from time to keep out the hosts' best attempt from Gonzalo Castro.

The result left Marcelino's visitors sixth in the standings, and David Moyes' Sociedad 12th.

La Real were out for revenge after Villarreal beat them 4-0 at El Madrigal in November, knocked them out of the Copa del Rey and also pipped them to sixth place in La Liga last season.

But it was Villarreal, without Ikechukwu Uche, Luciano Vietto and Giovani dos Santos through injury, who had much the better of the first-half opportunities.

Joel Campbell saw an early sighter saved by Rulli and Jaume Costa's left-footed shot from the left side of the box flew narrowly wide in the 14th minute.

Pina had a decent chance on 21 minutes, but could only direct his header over the bar from Dos Santos' cross.

Costa side-footed weakly wide with his left foot six minutes later after being teed up by Bojan Jokic.

Sociedad were offering little as an attacking force, but will have felt they should have had a penalty six minutes before the break when Xabi Prieto took a tumble under the challenge of Jokic.

Back at the other end a minute later, Rulli pulled off an excellent save to deny Manuel Trigueros after he tried his luck from the edge of the box from Campbell's cut-back.

Rulli again had to be alert to keep out Pina's header from the resulting corner, as the Yellow Submarine's pursuit of an opener continued to bear no fruit.

The match continued in the same vein after the interval.

Esteban Granero curled a free-kick just wide for Sociedad just before the hour mark, but Asenjo was not unduly troubled - until called upon to produce a superb reflex save to keep out a stinging drive from substitute Castro.

Moments before that, the Villarreal substitute could have capped his debut with the winner but he scuffed wide from close range following Moi Gomez's cross.

Rulli was beaten in the 88th minute by Ruiz's header, but the linesman's flag swiftly cut short the celebrations and the visitors had to settle for a point.