Real Sociedad 1-1 Eibar
Real Sociedad returned to the top of La Liga, level on points with Atletico Madrid, after winning a hard fought point against a well drilled Eibar.
The La Liga 2020 news, emerging from Madrid last night, had opened the door to Sociedad, as Real Madrid ended Atletico’s seven match winning run, but despite going ahead through 18 year old Ander Barrenetxea the hosts were pegged back when Serge Enrich gave the visitors a share of the spoils.
Here at SBOTOP we offered odds of 3.78 on the draw and, in the end, it was a fair result; though Sociedad came very close to winning it only to be denied by the woodwork and VAR.
Highlights of the game
Eibar came into the game unbeaten in four and they started with confidence, Papa Diop firing an early warning shot, before Yoshinori Muto met a cross from Rober Correa and headed just wide. In a feisty opening there was an early yellow card on either side; Edu Exposito carded for the visitors and Modibo Sagnan for a nasty foul on Eibar top scorer Kike. Brian Gil sized up the free-kick but hit it high and wide.
Sociedad began to get a grip on the game and Alexander Isak took a pass from Martin Merquelanz and fired a shot just off target, but midway through the half La Real got their lead. With senior players missing Sociedad head coach Imanol Alguacil put his faith in youth, and he was rewarded on 20 minutes when Barrenetxea rifled a shot high into the net from the right side of the box for his first goal of the season.
Eibar pressed for an equaliser and the lively Kike headed one effort wide before having a shot charged down, then Muto drew a save from Sociedad keeper Alex Remiro. But the hosts knew a second goal would give them a huge chance of three points and Eibar keeper Marko Dmitrovic suddenly became a busy man. First he stretched to keep out a 35 yard effort from Roberto Lopez, and then he denied Barrenetxea a second with an acrobatic save to tip the ball away from the top right corner.
Eibar were still in the game and came out fighting at the start of the second period. Takashu Inui tested Remiro with a shot arrowed towards the bottom right corner and then Kike fired one at the Real stopper. Papa Diop had a shot charged down as Los Almaros continued to press and then, on 65 minutes the equaliser came. After defending a corner Eibar broke and when Takashi Inui met a cross from Gil his effort was blocked but Enrich was on hand to fire the ball home.
Alguacil responded by throwing Silva on to replace Roberto Lopez and Sociedad almost regained the lead, on 71 minutes, when Portu rose to meet a cross from Joseba Zaldua but his header crashed back off the crossbar. Sociedad thought they’d won it when Igor Zubeldia met a flick on from Robin Le Normand and poked the ball home but, after an agonising wait, VAR ruled out the goal for offside.
Key statistics
Real Sociedad players celebrate after Willian Jose scored against Napoli in their Europa League clash
A sequence of draws has slowed Real Sociedad’s momentum over the past few weeks and they didn’t have it all their own way today. In fact Eibar edged the possession at 51 per cent and won the shot count by 16 to eight, though La Real came the closest to grabbing a winner.
Eibar arrived in San Sebastian having conceded just one goal in their previous four games and they are now on a five match unbeaten run.
Sociedad remain the highest scorers in the division with 23 goals and have the second best defensive record, conceding only six.
What’s next?
Recently as low as 13.00 to win the league, Sociedad are still a decent outside bet according to the La Liga 2020 betting odds, but a third draw in succession has dented their hopes. They are still top but Atleti has two games in hand.
On Wednesday La Real heads to Catalonia to take on Barcelona in the big clash of the week. The Blaugrana has a home game tonight against Levante, aiming to avoid three defeats on the run, after a loss to Juventus in the Champions League followed a shock reversal against Cadiz last week.
Eibar has a Copa del Rey fixture away to Racing Rioja, before they return to league action at home to Real Madrid. Things are looking much brighter for Los Blancos after they won the Madrid Derby on Saturday to climb back into contention in the title chase.
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The post La Liga: Sociedad Held By Battling Eibar appeared first on SBOTOP.