Real Sociedad 0-Valencia 1 | Maxi Gómez was the smartest

A goal by Maxi Gómez in the second half gave Valencia victory at the Reale Arena in a match in which it seemed unfair that Real Sociedad lost. But soccer is goals. And despite their constant siege, the txuri-urdin were unable to see the door, while the team che took advantage of the only chance it had after the break, in an error in the defensive balance of the local team. And to Maxi Gómez if you give him half a chance, he is not used to wasting it. And if Gayá serves him a succulent candy like the one he put on after receiving another good pass from Wass … he will annihilate you.

And that did the Uruguayan. Crush the unsuccessful dominance of a Real that deserved to draw, but that the VAR well annulled its 1-1 of Le Normand in the last play of the game by an involuntary hand of Aritz Elustondo prior to the final shot of the French. The referees already made it clear before the start of the league that all hands within the area, no matter how involuntary it may be, that directly influence the play will be whistled. And that happened. You will like it more or less, but once they act on your message, it will have to be said as well.

Real Sociedad began with one more march to the game, while Valencia seemed to be watching them come. The Donostiarras reached the area of ​​Jaume Domenech's goal with some ease, but the chances were not entirely clear and the realists could not find the key to the goal. Javi Gracia's team held on well positioned and little by little it shook the ball dominance of the realists, going out fast in attack and generating uncertainty in the defense of the Alguacil team, who did not quite like what he saw on the field of play.

The feeling was that Valencia grew as the minutes passed, while Real found it increasingly difficult to dominate the game and put into play the game that they are always looking for with the ball. The realistic team was diluted, while Valencia came to rest standing on the canvas, holding the pulse that had been proposed.

After the break, Imanol Alguacil introduced Oyarzabal onto the pitch and Real changed radically. Spectacular the metamorphosis of the royalists, who took a step forward with a high pressure that overwhelmed Valencia and locked him in his area. Total dominance of the Donostiarras, who accumulated arrivals, dangerous approaches and clear chances on Jaume's goal. But between the fact that Valencia's defense was very serious and that the aim of the realistic attackers was conspicuous by its absence, the game was slipping away.

And in the meantime, Gracia's plan seemed to be working. The idea was to hold out and take advantage of some oversight by Real, which was going to arrive with its players so thrown on the attack. They had one in the defensive retreat, rude enough to allow Valencia to run. The 'good guys' of the Valencian team, Wass-Gaya-Maxi, got together and the surprise came with the 0-1 score. They caught Gorosabel out of site, Oyarzabal arriving Justo to cover and Aritz canceling the offside. The goal was like a bomb. Because it arrived when Valencia least deserved it and when Real attacked the most.

But I don't change the scene at the end. Exhausting Imanol changes, his Real died with his boots on, making merits as if, even if, to tie. Surely with fans the story would not have been the same. And if football had something romantic, Le Normand's goal would have risen to the scoreboard. Because it was poetic justice that it came, at least, on the horn. But the VAR, so millimetric and cold, stole that award more than just from the Real. The draw was fair, but it was also fair that the goal did not go up on the scoreboard. If there is a hand, you have to whistle it. But Valencia took a perhaps excessive booty, without detracting from his work, from Anoeta; and the Real will have to rehearse the aim more, and reflect with the pillow as with so few rivals they do so much damage in the fast transitions. This is football.

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Sheriff: “They have had a chance and they have won”

The Real Sociedad coach, Imanol Alguacil, considered that his team deserved “another result” against Valencia and regretted that rivals hurt him “with few occasions”. “The game we have played, at stake, at work … my players did not deserve this result but it is like that,” admitted Alguacil, who also said that this defeat “hurts” and that the dressing room is “with anger, pain and bad milk. ” “They have had a chance and they have won, while we have done things well, playing football, but we have not succeeded“, summarized Alguacil, who stressed that with what his players did” the normal thing is that you win because they have passed over a Valencia that is Valencia. “

He explained the four changes he made in one go, said he planned to make only three but that Januzaj's injury forced him to take him off the field and he did not want to comment on Le Normand's goal disallowed in the 94th minute. “I have nothing to say about the canceled goal because the referee has said that it is not legalThat will be because he would see it clearly so as not to accept the goal and they say it was with his hand. I have not seen the play “, declared Bailiff.EFE

Gracia: “It is not my victory, it belongs to Valencia”

The Valencia coach, Javi grace, did not hide his satisfaction for a triumph that palliated “a delicate moment” of his team and that was accompanied by “suffering” before a Real Sociedad which he saw “something stuck”. “It is not a victory for me, but for Valencia. Yes I am happy for my part of responsibility and I am very happy for these three points“Gracia acknowledged after a meeting that he described as” balanced. “He encouraged the club's environment to” continue growing by going hand in hand “and does not believe that” there is a better moment “to share the victory, the first away from home in nine months.

“We have shown work, commitment, enthusiasm and perseverance because if you do not do it you cannot win the Real here. In defensive work everyone deserves recognition “, declared the Navarrese coach. He valued the work of Wass, which gave” security to the circulation “, but wanted to extend his congratulations to his entire squad who, with this result,” gain confidence “. The Navarrese coach also gave value to the youth of the eleven for which he bet on Anoeta, he is convinced that the future passes through “a balance with seniority” and that these encounters will allow their less experienced players to progress.-EFE