La Real's Dangerous Addiction to Last-Gasp Drama
Real Sociedad have developed a habit of late goals deciding their fate this season, with four positive outcomes from six nail-biting finishes in recent La Liga matches.
Real Sociedad seem to be developing a rather dangerous taste for late drama, with crucial goals in the dying minutes either saving or costing them valuable points in La Liga this season.
Last-Minute Specialists
The Txuri-urdin have experienced six matches with dramatic conclusions in their last 11 league games, coming out on top in four of those heart-stopping finales. What’s particularly frustrating for Sociedad supporters is that in most of these matches, the Basque outfit had created enough chances earlier to have secured a more comfortable scoreline.
The start of the season was relatively calm in terms of late drama. It wasn’t until matchday eight that things began getting interesting, when Rayo Vallecano scored to win 1-0 at Anoeta, deepening a crisis that eventually led to Sergio Francisco’s sacking during the Christmas break.
When Injury Time Becomes Hero Time
The ninth matchday kicked off this new ‘hobby’ for late thrills when Carlos Soler rescued a point with an 89th-minute equaliser against Celta Vigo at Balaídos. La Real dominated that match with 59% possession and a whopping 17 shots compared to Celta’s measly four.
Two rounds later, the San Sebastián side found joy again in the dying moments during the Basque derby at Anoeta. Gorrotxategi became the hero with a 92nd-minute winner to make it 3-2 against Athletic Bilbao. Shortly after, captain Oyarzabal converted from the spot in the 89th minute to secure a 1-1 draw at Elche.
The Flip Side of the Coin
But it hasn’t all been champagne and strawberries. The Basques learned the hard way that injury time can be cruel too:
- Villarreal snatched a 3-2 victory at Anoeta with a 95th-minute sucker punch
- Levante equalised in the 94th minute to deny interim manager Jon Ansotegi a winning start after Sergio’s dismissal
Matarazzo Era Begins With More Late Drama
New gaffer Pellegrino Matarazzo has already experienced the team’s finishing problems firsthand. In his debut against Atlético, La Real needed 18 shots to score just once and secure a draw. The pattern continued at Getafe, where after missing numerous chances, they saw their deserved lead cancelled out by Juanmi’s 90th-minute equaliser, only for Aramburu to restore victory with a 96th-minute winner.
While their record of four positive late outcomes against two negative ones seems decent on paper, it’s proper dodgy to keep living on the edge when you’ve done enough to win games more comfortably. Sort it out, lads!