A superb solo goal from Japanese player Takefusa Kubo early in the second half propelled Real Sociedad to a narrow 1-0 victory over Villarreal, dampening the Yellow Submarine’s Champions League aspirations.
The first half was monotonous, with both teams struggling to find rhythm and creating only a limited number of chances. The first notable opportunity came in the third minute, when Brais Méndez took advantage of a loose ball in the area, but his shot was well blocked by the Villarreal defense.
As the minutes passed with neither team able to shine, Villarreal launched a dangerous counter-attack led by Pape Gueye, which resulted in a Thierno Barry shot under pressure from Aritz Elustondo.
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The clearest chance of the first half came in its final minutes, when Luka Sucic fired a powerful shot from outside the area that hit the left post of Luiz Junior’s goal.
As the players left the field at 0-0, Takefusa Kubo decided to change the dynamic of the match shortly after the restart. He collected a ball that fell from the sky in midfield and managed to slip past his opponents before calmly placing the ball into the back of the net, making it 1-0.
The goal electrified the match, pushing the visitors forward in search of the equalizer, which resulted in a well-executed attacking transition where Barry served Gerard Moreno, whose powerful strike was saved by Álex Remiro .
As the game opened up, players began to express themselves more freely in the final third. Once again, Sucic, the most adventurous of the Txuri Urdin defense, tested Luiz Junior with a shot from distance, but the goalkeeper responded.
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Late in the match, Villarreal’s Orri Óskarsson had the chance to seal the match in added time but, under pressure from Juan Foyth, missed his shot from close range, providing an easy save for the visiting goalkeeper.
