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대한민국 - Soon
Youssef En-Nesyri’s first-half brace and a second-half header from Ramos sent us on our way to back-to-back home wins, having beaten Atlético de Madrid last time out at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.
En-Nesyri’s goals were his 12th and 13th of the season in all competitions; his partnership with Isaac Romero once again proving fruitful. Our young striker was heavily involved in both goals, providing the assist for the second.
Quique Sánchez Flores’s men put on a confident display and were full value for the three points, although the scoreline suggests the encounter was much closer than it truly was.
André Silva scored a penalty on the stroke of half time for the visitors while Brais Méndez’s injury-time strike inflicted a tense finish to the game.
Victory takes us to 27 points and 14th place, although the rest of LaLiga EA Sports Matchday 27 fixtures are yet to be played. We add to Real Sociedad’s misery; they now have only won once in their last nine games in all competitions, including Thursday’s semi-final exit from the Copa del Rey via a penalty shoot-out.
We started on the front foot, looking to put Real Sociedad under serious pressure from the beginning. With no more than 90 seconds on the clock, En-Nesyri had our first chance of the game, heading narrowly wide from Adrià Pedrosa’s cross – the same combination that brought us a goal in the reverse fixture at the Reale Arena.
Soon after, pressing the visitors high up the pitch, Isaac Romero stole the ball from Real Sociedad’s captain Zubeldia on the edge of the penalty area. However, goalkeeper Remiro was alert to the danger, denying Isaac’s effort from close range.
Our early dominance was duly rewarded in the eleventh minute, albeit through a slice of luck. A corner was cleared only as far as Hannibal. Making his first start for the club, he tried the spectacular, but his miscued volley fell into the path of Isaac. His effort was well saved, but Remiro could only palm the ball to En-Nesyri, who slotted home into an empty net.
Two minutes later, En-Nesyri doubled our lead. While his first may have been a routine finish, the second certainly was not. Played through by his new strike partner on the left, he decided to try his luck from a tight angle. The Moroccan unleashed a rocket from his left boot, finding the top right-hand corner. Cue chaos in the Gol Norte stand. He certainly enjoys this fixture, having scored a hat-trick against Real Sociedad back in 2021.
En-Nesyri's brace put early daylight between the two teams.
In the last play of the first half, Real Sociedad were given a route back into the game. Referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer pointed to the spot after the ball struck Sergio Ramos’s arm. Up stepped André Silva, who’s no stranger to scoring goals at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, having spent the 2018/19 season on loan with us. He sent Ørjan Nyland the wrong way, cutting the deficit in half.
The two-goal cushion was restored in the 66th minute thanks to an excellent pinpoint header from Ramos. Making up for the penalty he conceded, he climbed highest to guide Óliver Torres’s cross past the diving Remiro and in off the post.
We could have had another soon after. En-Nesyri raced clear and found Isaac at the back post. But with the ball travelling quickly, he could only slice wide with the goal at his mercy.
The game finished under much tenser circumstances than expected after Brais Méndez snuck his set piece past Nyland in the 90+3rd minute. A free kick was awarded to the away side for another Ramos hand ball before Méndez converted from the edge of the penalty area.
But we held on for the victory, meaning that we have now picked up 11 points from a possible 18. Next up is a visit to the other side of Andalucía. We take on UD Almería on Monday 11 March at the Power Horse Stadium.