Real Sociedad produced a stunning attacking display to thrash Lillestrom 6-0 in Norway on Thursday, in matchday three of the UEFA Europa League group stage. The San Sebastián side, fifth in La Liga with 16 points, secured a second consecutive win with goals from Sergio Gómez, Luka Sučić, Orri Steinn Óskarsson and Arsen Zakharyan. This result follows a 2-5 win at Malaga on Sunday 18 October.
Sergio Gómez opened the scoring after 25 minutes following a pass from Mikel Oyarzabal and, just two minutes later, found the net again from another assist by the captain. The onslaught continued with Luka Sučić, who netted the third in the 33rd minute, also set up by Oyarzabal. The Croatian, the team's top scorer this season with three goals in eight appearances, would score again later.
Control and cutting edge
La Real controlled the match with 56% possession and created the clearest chances, hitting the target eight times. Orri Steinn Óskarsson extended the lead in the 64th minute, finishing a cross from Gonçalo Guedes. Sučić completed his personal double eight minutes later, and Arsen Zakharyan applied the final touch to the scoreline in the 80th, assisted by Beñat Turrientes.
Goalkeeper Unai Marrero, starting between the posts, kept a clean sheet despite a missed penalty by Lillestrom's Thomas Lehne Olsen in the 50th minute. The Norwegian side, who managed fourteen shots, could not break down the visitors' defensive solidity.
Changes and next challenge
The manager made five substitutions throughout the match to manage workloads, introducing players like Pablo Marín, Óskarsson, Turrientes and Zakharyan. With this victory, Real Sociedad have now won three and drawn one of their last five matches, a run that also includes the 1-1 draw with Union St. Gilloise and the 0-1 loss to Athletic Club. The team heads into the next league fixture with confidence.
The team returns to Anoeta this Sunday 25 October at 18:30 to face Levante, who sit eleventh in the table. The last meeting between the sides in San Sebastián ended in a 2-0 home win. In the league standings, La Real remain eleven points behind leaders Barcelona, having scored and conceded 17 goals across their nine games so far.
Real Sociedad equalled their biggest European away win. The 0-6 at Lillestrøm on Thursday matches the 0-6 achieved at Vardar Skopje in October 2017, according to data from MisterChip's archive. The club confirmed that only two Spanish teams have won by six or more goals away on more than one occasion in Europe. "Only Real Madrid and Real Sociedad" hold that record, the entity stated. The team, fifth in La Liga with 16 points, now faces Levante.
