Real Sociedad delivered an attacking masterclass to thrash Málaga 5-2 at La Rosaleda on Sunday in La Liga's ninth round. The win solidifies Imanol Alguacil's side in fifth place in the standings, having taken 16 points from their opening nine matches, with a record of five wins, one draw and three losses.
Takefusa Kubo opened the scoring after just three minutes, set up by Héctor Fort. Orri Steinn Óskarsson doubled the advantage before the half-hour mark. Málaga, rooted to the bottom of the table, fought back through Adrián Niño and Pablo Martínez, but La Real responded swiftly. Mikel Oyarzabal struck twice in eight minutes and Gonçalo Guedes rounded off the scoring in the 73rd minute, sealing a rout that reflects the team's strong form, with three wins and a draw in their last five league games.
Jorge Zapata of EFE captured the moment of the first goal. "Takefusa Kubo, player of Real Sociedad celebrating the 0-1 against Málaga in La Rosaleda," he said. The photographer also immortalised Óskarsson's celebration after his strike. Zapata highlighted the intensity of the match and the attacking quality shown by the visiting side throughout the ninety minutes.
This result reinforces a positive run for La Real, who have three wins, a draw and one loss in their last five outings. The team has scored 17 league goals this season but has also conceded the same number, a statistic the coaching staff is looking to improve. The victory over Málaga follows a draw away to Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League and precedes a key home fixture. Real Sociedad host 17th-placed Levante next on Saturday 25 October at the Reale Arena.
With Luka Sučić the team's top scorer this season on three goals, La Real's attack is sharing the load productively. The defence, however, will seek greater solidity ahead of the clash with Levante, a direct rival in the battle to stay clear of the relegation places. The squad now faces a week of preparation with morale high after a commanding away win. Manager Imanol Alguacil praised his team's character to react after the 2-2 draw and stated that the work during the week was key to the offensive performance. Despite the good form, the team trails league leaders Barcelona by eleven points in the title race.
The report in full is at Mundo Deportivo
