Two goals from Alex Berenguerwith which the Athletic Club has defeated the Real Sociedad in San Mamés (2-1), have kept the Bilbao team unstoppable in its excellent trajectory over the last three months, in Champions League positions and already with a tremendous advantage over the table positions that remain outside of Europe.
Berenguer was the luckiest, and also the smartest, in two centers by Yuri Berchiche and Nico Williams in the first half he scored almost at will after his teammates failed to shoot on goal and his rivals failed to clear. When the 2-0 score seemed unappealable, the visiting captain, Oyarzabalmade it 2-1 by deflecting a failed shot by Aihen Muñoz towards the goal with his chest.
The two Navarrese forward goals unbalanced the match before the break and kept Ernesto Valverde’s team on a tremendous streak that amounts to five consecutive victories and thirteen games without losing with ten victories in between. Of them, three in the Copa del Rey and seven in a league championship in which the ‘lions’ have added 23 points from the last 27.
Furthermore, Athletic remains in positions of Champions, provisionally until this twentieth day is completed at the end of the month. Until then, they remain third in the table, tied with FC Barcelona, who have one game less, with three points ahead of them. Atlético of Madrid and already with nine points over a Real team whose defeat this Saturday greatly complicates their place in the Champions League via the League.
The only positive thing about the match for the San Sebastian team is that it maintains Athletic’s advantage in goal difference after the 3-0 in the first leg at the Reale Arena
From the beginning, Imanol Sheriff surprised by choosing Odriozol He plays right back, something that was not going badly for him until the San Sebastian native got injured after a quarter of an hour and after having competed in a race with Nico Williams.
At that start, Real seemed more focused even without dominating the game and without reaching the local area in danger. There was more threat, although not too much, from an Athletic team without the dominance of the last games.
But, after the change of Odriozola, Ernesto Valverde’s men began to loosen up and roam around the domains of a hitherto unpublished Unai Marrero.
A header from Vesga A cross from a dead ball by Berenguer opened the spigot of the red-and-white attack, which began to prevail, supported by the youngest of the Williamses and supported by a huge Galarreta, little by little master of the midfield.
A fall in the Oyarzabal area marked the halfway point of the first half, already leading the red and white side, which once again showed the punch of Sunday’s 0-3 in Eibar.
Already more in the high rhythm of the game that Athletic seeks so much, Nico catapulted Yuri down the left wing and the Gipuzkoan’s center made it 1-0. A bit unlucky for Berenguer, who had the ball almost over the line after touching Zubeldia and Marrero with a ball that was going to Guruzeta at the near post.
Zakharian He had a good shot inside the area, but he hit it badly with his right foot and it went wide.
In the next approach, Athletic scored the second goal. Sancet He found Nico’s unmarking break and after the center of the international winger Berenguer scored another goal at will. Before, neither Vesga nor Guruzeta could finish off the loose ball in the area.
Real had a new opportunity on the stroke of half-time with a shot from the edge of Zubeldia that was poisoned after touching Guruzeta. But the ball went high, licking the crossbar.
The second half did not give much of itself, perhaps with the two teams already with the feeling of broken decided to rest. Even so, Athletic continued to strike, without much success, and Real approached Simón, also with little danger.
Already in the final stretch, in the middle of the party in ‘La Catedral’ and the carousel of changes, Oyarzabal spiced up the game with the 2-1 in the 88th minute. A goal with the chest of the ‘txuri urdin’ captain to deflect A failed shot by Aihen Muñoz towards the goal from Magunazelaia’s center.
Datasheet:
Athletic Club, 2: Unai Simón; Lekue, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri; Galarreta (Herrera, m.70), Vesga; Nico Williams (Adu Ares, m.84), Sancet (Unai Gómez, m.70), Berenguer (Muniain, m.84); and Guruzeta (Villalibre, m.74).
Real Sociedad, 1: Marrero; Odriozola (Aritz Elustondo, m.20), Zubeldia, Le Normand, Tierney (Aihen Muñoz, m.80); Brais Méndez (Olasagasti, m.80), Zubimendi, Merino, Zakharyan (Dadie, m.62); Oyarzabal y Barrenetxea (Magunazelaia, m.62).
Goals: 1-0, m.30: Berenguer. 2-0, m.42: Berenguer. 2-1, m.88: Oyarzabal.
Referee: Jose Luis Munuera Montero (Committee of Andalusia). He showed yellow cards to locals Unai Gomez (m.92), and visitors Barrenetxea (m.62) and Merino (m.90), Le Normand (m.92) and Aritz Elustondo
Incidents: Match on matchday 20 of LaLiga EA Sports, the first of the second round, played in San Mamés before 51,475 spectators. Official data. The Biscayan driver Joseba Iraola, European motorsports champion in the Mountain category, took the kick-off.
2024-01-13 19:59:18
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