Real Sociedad delivered a convincing 3-0 win over Athletic Club in the Basque derby this Saturday. Robin Le Normand opened the scoring in the first half, followed by goals from Take Kubo and Mikel Oyarzabal, sealing the victory for Imanol Alguacil’s side against a Bilbao outfit that struggled to respond.
From the opening whistle, the intensity between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club was evident. The home side pressed hard to seize control early, aiming to net an early lead even though chances were scarce for both teams during the initial stages of the match.
In a notable early moment, the clash also featured an injury. Kieran Tierney, Real’s coach Imanol Alguacil had to make the first substitution in the 26th minute as Aihen Muñoz came on to protect the right flank of Zurigorri’s attack.
The breakthrough came in a somewhat fortunate fashion. A routine ball from Unai Simón deflected off a defender, landing at the feet of Robin Le Normand who finished decisively from the edge of the area, putting Real Sociedad ahead.
Ernesto Valverde’s team quickly sought parity, with Iñaki Williams charging into the Real area and finishing a cross from his brother Nico to bring the scoreline to 1-1 near the left post, with Alex Remiro beaten. The match remained balanced as Real Sociedad held a narrow advantage, aided by a few isolated yet productive moves that kept Athletic on their toes as both sides prepared for halftime.
Shortly after, social footage and highlights circulated of the celebration as the teams prepared for the second half, underscoring the competitive tempo of the game.
Athletic began the second period with intent, building sustained pressure that forced a misstep from Hamari Traoré, whose miscue allowed Nico Williams to slip through and create a dangerous moment that did not culminate in a goal.
Then came a swift counter comprised of precise passes that spanned most of the pitch. After a sequence of exchanges in Real Sociedad’s half, Sadik Omer’s ball found Take Kubo, who was left one-on-one with the goalkeeper and calmly deposited the ball past Iñaki Simón to extend the lead.
Athletic did not retreat, as Iker Muniain crafted the next threatening move for the visitors, but Real Sociedad remained vigilant at the back and controlled the tempo as the game progressed.
The impact of the match continued to be felt as Le Normand returned to action after an earlier spell of discomfort, entering the fray to help shore up the defense and maintain the lead. Jon Pacheco then took the field as a substitute, reinforcing the midfield and defense as Real Sociedad pressed to consolidate their position.
Moments later, Oyarzabal added the final flourish. Receiving a sensational pass from Brais Méndez behind the Athletic defense, he dribbled past the keeper and capped the sequence with a composed finish, sealing the third goal for the home team.
With the result secured, Real Sociedad controlled possession and managed the clock, while Athletic’s rhythm faded as the match wore on. The contest drifted into a more conservative phase, with the deficit weighing on Athletic and Real Sociedad content to manage the situation and protect their lead.
There was brief drama in stoppage time when Yuri Berchiché and Take Kubo were involved in a minor altercation, which refereeing spared from escalating further. Overall, Real Sociedad earned a well-deserved victory that moved them up in the La Liga standings, while Athletic dropped to a mid-table position as the season progressed.
In the standings, Real Sociedad climbed to fourth with 15 points, while Athletic Club slipped to fifth with 14, reflecting the close competition in the early stages of the campaign and the high stakes of the Basque derby.