In a display that hinted at a turning point for the group, Real Sociedad claimed a 0-2 win over Sheriff Tiraspol in Chisinau, sealed early in the second half after a swift intervention that shifted the balance of the match.
Silva and Aritz supplied the goals. With Kyabou sent off, the tone of the game shifted dramatically. Imanol’s squad faced a more compact opponent whose best moments had already passed by the first quarter of the second half.
Real Sociedad set a high-tempo tempo from the opening minutes. The ball moved quickly, and while the visitors pressed forward with pace, Sheriff showed resilience, relying on sharp counters and a tight, compact back line. There were moments when the home side looked to exploit gaps, but the Moldovan side defended stoutly, closing space as the tempo ebbed and flowed and the match oscillated between risk and alarm.
Often, Real Sociedad found their best chances not through patient buildup but through improvisation. A notable sequence featured a steal by Brais and a powerful drive from Soloth that tested Kyabou at the edge of the area, signaling Real’s intent to force a breakthrough through individual quality rather than through traditional routes. It reminded spectators that the game could hinge on a single precise moment.
The first clear threat from Sheriff came twelve minutes in when Badolo connected with a high shot that prompted Remiro to voice his frustration, urging better collective cover among teammates. The pattern suggested a matchup where possession had value, yet the real danger lay in Sheriff’s rapid transitions and the precision of their counters.
Real Sociedad dominated possession for long spells, yet Sheriff did not yield the initiative. The visitors’ defense remained stubborn, especially when pressed, and Sorloth’s willingness to drop deep to pull Kyabou out of position briefly opened space along the flanks. Silva then moved decisively to clear danger, staying alert to threats near the top corner.
Rasheed and Badolo answered with direct runs that reminded Real Sociedad that the game demanded discipline until the final whistle. Each side signaled intent with bursts of quality that could alter the tie, reinforcing that the result would hinge on situational execution rather than sheer dominance.
The turning point came as Real Sociedad pushed forward in the buildup to halftime. A sharp counter allowed Kubo to deliver from the right, but Badolo’s defensive gap closed quickly and Brais found the ball near the penalty area. The moment did not end with a goal, yet it underscored the persistent threat Real posed and the need for Sheriff to stay vigilant.
Real Sociedad returned for the second half with renewed purpose. At 52 minutes, Merino threaded a ball to Solorth who found Silva just inside the edge of the box. The forward seized his chance, bending a shot past the defense and into the net, giving the visitors the lead and a surge of confidence.
The second goal followed in the 61st minute. Aritz read a well-placed delivery from Brais and finished cleanly, doubling the advantage and leaving Sheriff with a more arduous path to recovery. The strike underscored Real Sociedad’s ability to convert moments into goals and to apply pressure when it mattered most.
With the score in Real Sociedad’s favor, Imanol began to manage the game to preserve the lead. Silva and Sola were withdrawn as a precaution after robust challenges, and young Arambarri, alongside Carlos Fernández, entered to reinforce the midfield and attack lines and keep the tempo under control.
From there, the match settled into a pragmatic phase. Real Sociedad maintained possession, weighing risk against Sheriff’s occasional advances as the visitors pressed in patches to seek a lifeline. The final minutes saw Real hold firm, nursing the two-goal cushion and steering the group toward the next stage with clarity and purpose.
In the closing moments, a forward surge from Brais created a fleeting opportunity when the ball fell kindly to Merino, though the final touch did not produce another goal. Sheriff’s defense held firm in the face of late pressure, but the broader narrative belonged to Real Sociedad, who controlled the tempo and guided the game to a favorable conclusion.
Real Sociedad’s solid performance in this Europa League group match was reflected in the closing moments, when they limited opportunities for their opponents and secured the three points that left them well-placed to advance. The result reinforced the team’s resolve and signaled their capability to compete against solid European sides in the campaign ahead.
Data sheet: 0 – Sheriff Tiraspol: coval; Zohouri, Kiki, Radeljic; Diop, Atiemwen, Badolo, Kayabou; Pernambuco, Vizeu, Rasheed. 2 – Real Sociedad: Remiro; Alone, Aritz, Pacheco, Rico; Guevara, Merino, Brais, Silva; Kubo, Sorloth. Goals: 0-1, m. 52: Silva. 0-2, m. 61: Aritz. Referee: Harald Lechner (Austria). Kyabou sent off (m. 60) with a second yellow. Attributions: Atiemwen and Lone visitors. Event: The match, part of the Europa League group stage, was played at Stadionul Zimbru in Chisinau. A minute of silence observed for the victims at the Kanjuruhan stadium in Indonesia. Source attribution: match report
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