Real Sociedad were denied a win at the death in the Europa League, drawing 1-1 with Union SG at the Den Dreef in Leuven. Beñat Turrientes gave the Spanish side the lead early in the second half, but Sekou Keita's 88th-minute equaliser snatched a point for the Belgian team.
Pellegrino Matarazzo's side, who sit sixth in La Liga with 13 points from eight games, controlled large spells and created chances to kill the game. A recurring issue with the final ball and a defensive lapse from a set-piece proved costly, however, leaving them with a frustrating draw. The result keeps their European hopes alive but highlights a difficulty in closing out matches that has also affected their domestic form, where they have scored 12 and conceded 15 goals so far. Their recent La Liga form of two wins, one draw and two defeats from the last five matches shows this inconsistency, and they currently trail leaders Barcelona by eleven points.
Post-match reaction
Manager Pellegrino Matarazzo acknowledged the bitter taste of the late concession. "It doesn't feel good when you play a good game, you're winning 0-1 until the end of the match and you end up conceding from a set piece," he said. Despite this, Matarazzo pointed to positives from the collective performance against a tough opponent, seeing it as a step forward for the coming weeks.
Goalscorer Beñat Turrientes, who found the net in the 46th minute on his return to the starting lineup, said the draw was hard to swallow. The midfielder stated the goal was a personal confidence boost but that the dressing room was hurt by the late collapse. "We had chances for a second goal and in the end they equalised from a corner," he noted.
Real Sociedad's focus now shifts to La Liga and an away fixture against Malaga this Saturday, 18 October. Malaga currently sit 20th in the table, presenting a clear opportunity for Matarazzo's team to secure three points and improve on a recent run. The team will be aiming for their fourth win from eight league matches, a record that currently stands at four wins, one draw and three losses.
The report in full is at Real Sociedad.eus
