Real Sociedad beat Rayo 1-0 despite an uneven display

Real Sociedad beat Rayo 1-0 at Anoeta, earning a valuable win without hitting top form as the season’s second break approaches. Óskarsson scored the only goal, set up by Barrenetxea, who was injured shortly afterwards. The striker has now scored for the fifth time in the last six matches. Real also kept a clean sheet, with Remiro among those who helped secure a hard-earned victory.

The result matters in the standings: Real strengthens its grip on fifth place with 22 points, four clear of sixth, and moves on from its two most recent setbacks. Its recent run had been checked by a league defeat and a draw in Europe. Taking all three points at Anoeta was especially important with Rayo regarded as a difficult opponent and Mikel Oyarzabal absent through illness. Sarr was also unavailable through injury.

Matarazzo made six changes to the lineup compared with Thursday, including the change required by Sarr’s absence. Before the match, Remiro, Soler and Sucic had been tipped to return to the starting side; Remiro and Sucic then featured in the sequence that framed Real’s two major chances. From Sucic’s pass, Óskarsson was left alone in the area, but his left-footed attempt went too far across goal. By half-time, Real had done more to merit a lead.

Neither side showed enough accuracy. Real often advanced towards the area but made too little of its crosses, then wasted a dangerous counterattack with a misplaced pass. After the interval, its tempo slowed and it made fewer forays forward. The match shifted within two minutes, with Barrenetxea central to the action, first in a positive and then in a negative way.

In the 68th minute, Remiro sent a long ball towards Barrenetxea. He brought it under control, got past Pedrosa and laid it off for Óskarsson to finish. Barrenetxea was injured afterwards, leaving Real ahead but without the player who had supplied the decisive pass. Rayo kept pressing for an equaliser: San José made an attacking quadruple substitution late on, bringing on Nteka, Isi, Bouaré and Vertrouwd. Real held its lead. Tsitaishvili and Bouaré were booked for Rayo, while Zubeldia and Turrientes received cautions for Real.

The 1-0 therefore provides a tangible response to the recent frustrating results and underlines the value of a win without Oyarzabal and Sarr. With the break approaching, Real retains a four-point cushion over sixth place, although Barrenetxea’s injury puts a shadow over an important evening.