The undetectable Sancet resolves the Basque derby | Soccer | Sports

Athletic won the derby with a goal from the undetectable Sancet, an expert at appearing where no one expects him, and in Bilbao its fans sleep happily for one night. This is usually the case after each victory, and even more so when the rival is Real. No one likes to lose a match of this caliber, and on the last few occasions at San Mamés, the Bilbao team seems to have reached the right boiling temperature, and they have already accumulated four consecutive wins. In San Sebastián there have been four disappointments in a row, although they are already starting to think about the second round match. Then things will look different.

It is not normal that, in a derby at the end of November, the temperature at nine at night is like that of a summer tournament. Short sleeves, warm clothes—just in case the weather changes—under your arm. What never changes, at least not like the weather, is the heat of the bloodless battles between Athletic and Real Sociedad, both of which date back more than a century. Except in rare exceptions, such as the value that was assumed in the military, intensity is also assumed in derbies, usually high-tension matches, and it is usually the most connected team that ends up taking it. Of course, when the motivation is equal, the prognosis is more uncertain.

And in San Mamés, last night, the motivation was in fits and starts, because until the first half hour it was Athletic that was burning its engines while Real tried to put out the red-and-white ardor with ice, which played in waves, as usual, with the Williams and Djaló frequently exchanged positions to make the tight marking that Imanol Alguacil planned difficult. The Bilbao team was prowling around the Remiro area, who is still reminded of his change of sides with wind music and gave a feeling of danger, although without too many options, except for a counterattack led by Iñaki Williams and which ended almost without an angle, with a shot. which the Real goalkeeper rejected.

But as the visiting team’s response was limited to the rearguard, with no sign of approaching Agirrezabala, the San Sebastian players could not put out all the fires, and in the end, after continued action by Athletic, with several phases of attack, the ball was It reached Nico Williams, who almost from the baseline pumped to the far post so that Sancet got ahead of Aguerd, who was soft, and headed almost from no angle to open the scoring in the Cathedral, among the ecstasy of the red and white fans, because it is already known that in derbies goals, of whatever color they are, are worth double for the morale of the stands.

The outlook didn’t change much after the goal because La Real simply took note and little else. If anyone was expecting a furious reaction, they didn’t find it. Athletic continued almost the same, and the San Sebastian team too, despite the result, as if they left everything for the second half. So Real did try to push a little more, or maybe Athletic let itself be loved, because it took many minutes for Agirrezabala to be bothered. Just a shot from afar by Sergio Gómez that came softly into his hands, and a ball that passed parallel to the goal without any blue and white legs to finish it off.

However, the best chance of the second half came from Bilbao, in a back pass by Sancet, brilliant in his comeback, and which Prados finished weakly in a position where scoring the goal was the easiest. As Athletic did not know how to close the game, they suffered in the end, although more because of the possibility of losing what they had than because of the real danger that Real generated. In addition, Agirrezabala was colossal in neutralizing all the aerial balls that Real launched due to the lack of other resources, so the return trip along the A-8 highway was a small funeral, for which the royalists will try to make up for on the return. Because derbies always have a comeback.