Real Sociedad Grabs a Narrow Victory Over Mallorca at Reale Arena
Real Sociedad secured the win thanks to a single goal against RCD Mallorca at the Reale Arena, aided by a late flourish from Take Kubo who had just come on as a substitute and helped turn the match in favor of the home side. The Vermilion side left the island with a sense of having deserved more, as Vedat Muriqi hit the post in a late chance and a later own goal was saved by the home defense.
Mallorca had begun with intent, pressing high at Reale Arena and laying down the first markers. Cyle Larin posed problems in the box, forcing goalkeeper Alex Remiro into two sharp stops early on as Mallorca looked to seize control of the game.
Real Sociedad showed early signs of life despite moments where the game slipped away from them. They began to dominate possession as the half wore on, though clear-cut chances were still scarce and the scoring remained elusive even as the play moved in their favor.
Midway through the first half Mallorca’s intensity dipped a touch, and Real Sociedad grew more confident, though the finishing touch in the final third remained elusive. Arsen Zakharyan attempted a long-range effort as chances remained fragmented for both sides.
After the break the teams headed to the dressing room with a sense that the match could still swing either way. Imanol Alguacil adjusted his formation from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3, bringing Ander Barrenetxea into the fold for Zakharyan in an attempt to inject extra creativity and width on the left.
On the restart Mallorca looked the sharper side, with a ball into the area after a Remiro save representing their best moment. Dani Rodríguez did not convert the opportunity, and a remarkable save from Cascante kept the scoreline level.
With Kubo introduced, Real Sociedad lifted their energy. The decisive moment arrived when the Japanese winger delivered a precise cross that Brais Méndez met with a controlled header, steering the ball into the net and opening the scoring at the 64th minute.
The lead gave Real Sociedad the momentum to press for a second, and Mikel Oyarzabal found the net after a buildup that suggested the locals could seal the win. However, VAR intervened to signal a foul, sparking debate among the stands as the celebration cooled.
Mallorca continued to push for equality, getting a late chance in the box that Samú looked set to finish before Real Sociedad cleared. A sequence of one-on-one moments followed, with Rakijkovic standing tall for the visitors as Oyarzabal and then Aihen Muñoz forced further testing in the closing stages.
Ndiaye produced a fierce volley from the right that almost found the corner, but a combination of Remiro’s attack-oriented save and a timely clearance from Abdón Prats kept the ball out of the net. The result left Real Sociedad sitting in fifth place with 18 points, while Mallorca ended the day in 15th, watching what the other teams in contention might do to alter the table.
Data sheet: 1 – Real Sociedad: Remiro; Aritz (Traoré, m.60), Zubeldia (Le Normand, m.69), Pacheco, Aihen; Zubimendi, Merino, Brais; Zakharyan (Barrenetxea, m.46), Carlos (Kubo, m.60) and Oyarzabal (Sadiq, m.84). 0 – RCD Mallorca: Rajkovic; González, Valjent, Nastasic, Copete (Morlanes, m.69); Rodríguez (Llabrés, m.86), Sánchez (Ndiaye, m.74), Samú, Lato (Costa, m.69); Larin (Prats, m.74) and Muriqi. Goals: 1-0, m.64: Brais. Referee: Figueroa Vázquez. The match took place on the 10th day of LaLiga EA Sports with 31,279 spectators present at the Reale Arena. Take Kubo earned the match MVP award from Xabi Prieto for his impact off the bench.