Athletic punishes Real Sociedad in the Basque derby

Athletic won deservedly in the Basque derby played in San Mamés after thrashing (4-0) a Real Sociedad team that disappointed in their visit to Bilbao due to their lack of attacking bite and that, after the defeat, are no longer undefeated in 2022, condition that now only Barça and Sevilla have. The lions, now in eighth place, are only one point behind the San Sebastian team, who after the severe correction received, face the second leg of next Thursday’s European match against Leipzig with doubts (2-2 in the first leg).

The first part was characterized by a greater possession of the ball (60%) by Real Sociedad but with Athletic bringing more danger to the rival area. The txuri urdin team, with four changes compared to the eleven they presented on Thursday in the Europa League against Leipzig, held on thanks to their goalkeeper Remiro, while they barely disturbed Unai Simón in attack, who was a privileged spectator on the pitch. Without a doubt, the absences due to injury of Januzaj and Isak were noted. The lions, for their part, with a more direct football, fast on the wings, tried to surprise especially through Iñaki Williams, who was the first to try the shot twice.

The course of the match could have begun to change in the 29th minute, when the ball, in a shot by the omnipresent Williams, hit David Silva’s arm. The action, on the front line of the area, required the VAR review, which indicated to Martínez Munuera that it had been inside, for which a penalty was decreed. Muniain was in charge of launching it and Remiro, of stopping it.

Athletic continued to insist against a Real Sociedad that wanted to lower the game’s revolutions by touching and touching the ball, although they got another good scare in a shot by Yuri that was cleared ‘in extremis’ by Remiro, without a doubt the best footballer on the pitch. With 0-0, the break was reached.

After passing through the changing rooms, Athletic continued to put pressure on and dangerously approach the San Sebastian area. Berenguer, with a header that went over the crossbar, and Williams, with a shot on the turn that Remiro blocked, hovered around the goal.

Marcelino and Imanol began to make a move at match time, putting Vencedor and Sancet on the local side and Rafinha and Guridi on the visitor. Changes, the rojiblancos, to put in a more offensive gear, and the blue and whites, to refresh the midfield.

The play went better for Athletic, who only six minutes later, in the 68th minute, opened the scoring for San Mamés. A corner kick taken by Berenguer had Vivian as receiver, who with a splendid header at the far post, housed the ball out of Remiro’s reach, who had not conceded a goal in LaLiga since January 2 (472 minutes) .

The goal was wonderful for the lions, who just four minutes later, in minute 72, put the victory on track. They did it again in another corner, which this time Sancet took advantage of, inside the area, after getting ahead of the two players who marked him.

Real Sociedad no longer had the power to react. Although Imanol tried to change his attack (Djouahra and Ander Martín entered for Sorloth and Portu), he continued without creating danger (just a shot from Oyarzabal that made Unai Simón intervene for the first time in the 78th minute, one from Djouahra and another from Zubimendi ). Not only did he not close the gap, but he ended up conceding two more goals. The first after a counter led by Sancet, a ‘death pass’ from Berenguer and an accurate shot from Williams (min. 80). The second, the work of ‘capi’ Munain, after a luxurious pass from Sancet.

In the end, 4-0 for a much superior Athletic that punished a Real Sociedad that neglected the set pieces and that did not exist in attack, for which San Mamés came out thrashed.