Aritz Elustondo gives Real Sociedad an important boost of morale by signing a much-needed win against Osasuna with a solitary goal that it went from less to more, and that only ended up pressing at the end with lateral centers. The San Sebastian team gets up from the canvas after a very complicated week due to the blows received against Athletic Club and Leipzig, and once again regains momentum in the fight for European places with 41 points. The center-back from Besaindarra decided on a highly disputed duel in the second half, shooting Sergio Herrera from close range and with great anger, and signing the greatest txuri-urdin dominance throughout the match. Sergio Herrera kept Osasuna alive in the second half with two good saves, and allowed the rojillos to come close to equalizing with his final rush with crosses into the area, to which the realistic defense responded firmly. La Real takes a breather after hard days to continue fighting for Europe, Osasuna misses a golden opportunity to get closer to that fight.
Imanol surprised everyone with his revolution in the starting eleven. Changes were expected, but don’t be drastic. Because only two players from the defeat against Leipzig last Thursday repeated in the initial team. It is not usual for the coach from Oriotar to make so many changes between games, and even less so significant, but Real needs freshness in the eleven to recover lost energy. So the realistic coach chose to introduce new arrival sap from the subsidiary such as Pacheco, Ander Martín and Djouahra, and finally give the handle to captain Illarramendi, who ten months later played a league game again. Real facelift, and return to the idea of being the protagonist with the ball, and more in front of his fans. He began commanding against an Osasuna that never wrinkles, and he also came out with great intensity. He started out hopeful of a match between ‘brothers’, due to the good relations between the two clubs.
*Data updated as of February 27, 2022
The realistic team had possession of the ball, but lacked depth. Neither Ander Martin on the left, nor especially Näis Djouahra on the right were capable of progressing dangerously down the flanks. Illarramendi was noticing the lack of games and it was difficult for him to give rhythm to the game, and only when the ball reached Silva between the lines was he able to accelerate Real in search of Sergio Herrera’s goal. Real prowled the Osasuna area more, but when the rojillos managed to steal the ball in their pressure, they forced Remiro to work hard. Isak on a couple of occasions without aim, and Ander Martin from the edge was the most dangerous thing for Real in that first half. A center by Chimy Ávila from the right that neither Rubén García nor Budimir managed to finish off was the most interesting thing in Osasuna’s attack. Or the only thing. Because Jagoba Arrásate’s men focused above all on defending, giving up all possession to a Real team that grew as Isak and Silva connected. Goalless at halftime, everything was left open for the second half.
unalterable script
After the break the script remained unchanged, with Real clearly carrying the weight of the game and Osasuna bailing out water in their area. Because the Donostiarras took a further step forward, they were more aggressive, and they hardly let the reds leave their field, very uncomfortable on the pitch. As a result of that pressure and that dominance, several corner kicks arrived from which, at least, one had to take advantage. After a corner in which Osasuna was not able to clear the ball, the ball was dead inside the area, Isak headed it, leaving Aritz Elustondo alone in the small area, who literally shot Sergio Herrera’s goal. He was not offside for a bit and celebrated the goal with unusual taboothe result of all the tension accumulated by a few very complicated days in San Sebastián.
Only with the score against did Osasuna seem to react and show a bit of a nose in the goal area defended by Remiro. La Real left the result alive, because neither Isak nor Djouahra, with two good chances, were capable of beating an inspired Sergio Herrera. The 1-0 gave Osasuna wings, because Arrásate took the opportunity to put Kike Garcia on the field of play, to begin to swell up to put lateral centers into the Real area. It is one of his hallmarks, and that final rush was foreseeable. But Real’s defence, with Pacheco and Le Normand at the helm, worked hard to give Osasuna’s strikers almost no chance, and clear everything that came to them as if they were a pediment. Only in two offside actions was Osasuna able to get close to the tie. La Real perhaps sank a bit at the end, Osasuna overturned, but perhaps it was too late. Oyarzabal was able to sentence, but Juan Cruz got in his way. But in the end a detail unbalanced the balance of a very disputed game.
Changes
Oyarzabal (58′, Ander Martin), Kike Garcia (63′, Lucas Torro), Alex Alone (70′, Nais Djouahra), Sorloth (70′, Isaac), Martin Zubimendi (70′, Illarramendi), Kike Barja (72′, Ruben Garcia), Javi martinez (72′, Brasanac), Robert Torres (81′, Chimy Avila), Jose Angel (81′, Manu Sanchez), For your (81′, Gorosabel)
goals
1-0, 51′: Elustondo
cards
Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz
VAR Referee: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva
Juan Cruz (7′, Yellow) Nacho Vidal (90′, Yellow) Jose Angel (95′, Yellow) Robert Torres (96′, Yellow
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