Real Sociedad came back and turned a match it had lost against Celta Vigo with 11 minutes left in a wild match of constant blows back and forth, in which Uruguayan Maxi Gómez shined authoring both goals, and in which Real Sociedad took full advantage of the gift by the rivals and a controversial decision that led to the defining penalty kick.
Celta did not disappoint despite the loss, being a brave, offensive team like it showed in the preseason. Real Sociedad pressure the delivery of the ball from the back, and Juan Carlos Unzué’s men found the solution to such pressure by looking for Maxi Gómez, a strong forward who feels confortable receiving balls.
It only took Iago Aspas four minutes to scare Geronimo Rulli with a potent shot from the center. Real Sociedad responded with a run on the right side by Odriozola, which ended in nothing because his cross did not find a finisher.
Little by little, Celta took ownership of the match. Jozabed and Danilo Wass connected with Aspas, and through them the collective game of the team gleamed with rapid transitions, rapid diagonal runs by Pione Sisto, and runs by Hugo Mallo, a dagger on the right side.
Aspas created danger once again before the midpoint of the first half, first with a shot that sailed high, and later with a left-footed shot deflected by Rulli with a great dive, in a play in which Celta argued for a penalty kick after Maxi Gómez fell from slight contact with Aritz Elustondo.
Without the ball, Real Sociedad generated danger with a spectacular free kick by Sergio Canales (20th minute) that barely missed the post as Sergio Alvarez looked on.
And from the possible 0-1, it became 1-0. Iago Aspas opened up to Sisto, who dribbled by Odriozola, crossed to the far post, Wass slightly touched it towards Maxi Gómez, who made his goal scoring debut with a slight touch.
The asphyxiating heat forced Mateu Lahoz to stop the mach before the half-hour mark as agreed upon by the teams before the match. This reanimated Real Sociedad, which found a gift from goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez that Oyarzabal did not waste for tie to game.
This goal damaged a Celta team that struck again in the start of the second half, once again by way of the debuting Maxi Gómez, a “killer” in the box who made people forget about the injured John Guidetti. Wass crossed the ball, Cabral headed it in the front post, and the Uruguayan shot it past Rulli in the second post.
Real Sociedad woke up and was able to take away the ball from its rival. The team was more confortable on the pitch, and Eusebio Sacrsitan looked for a change with the inclusion of Carlos Vela. With lateral crosses, Real Sociedad threated an insecure Sergio from his monumental mistake in the goal.
Unzue reinforced the midfield with the entrance of Chilean Pablo Hernandez and Stanislav Lobotka, but Real Sociedad was unhinged.
Asier Illarramendi, with a long shot to which Sergio responded with a nice save, neared the draw, which was achieved by Juanmi with 11 minutes left, to extend his romance with Balaidos -three months after scoring the goal that clinched European soccer for them-.
This goal destroyed a Celta incapable of moving past its own half of the field. In the final moments, Mateu Lahoz signaled a protested penalty from a Jonny foul on Carlos Vela at the edge of the box. Brazilian Willian Jose scored to give his team its first three points.
