In a match without soul, without chicha and without an audience, with barely 500 spectators in the stands of a neutral ground, that of Partizan Belgrade, Real Sociedad achieved the most important thing, taking the three points against a rival, the Israeli Maccabi, of a lower level, but that gave rise to war when the San Sebastian team, which fielded an eleven with many changes, slowed down, or became infected with the game of its opponent.
1
Roi Mishpati, Nemanja Stojic, Ofir Davidzada (Sagiv Yehezkel, min. 69), Stav Lemkin, Raz Shlomo, Gabi Kanichowsky, Ido Shahar (Henry Addo, min. 70), Issouf Sissokho (Joris van Overeem, min. 70), Dor Peretz (Osher Davida, min. 70), Weslley Patati and Elad Madmon (Dor Turgeman, min. 75)
2
Unai Marrero, Jon Pacheco, Nayef Aguerd, Javi López, Jon Aramburu (Aritz Elustondo, min. 75), Beñat Turrientes (Sheraldo Becker, min. 58), Mikel Oyarzabal (Sergio Gómez, min. 58), Martín Zubimendi, Takefusa Kubo (Ander Barrenetxea, min. 74), Brais Méndez (Jon Olasagasti, min. 83) and Umar Sadiq
Goals
0-1 min. 18: Jon Pacheco. 0-2 min. 63: Sergio Gomez. 1-2 min. 80: Dor Turgeman
Referee Rohit Saggi
yellow cards
Take Kubo (min. 11), Weslley Patati (min. 36), Javi López (min. 72), Osher Davida (min. 74), van Overeem (min. 79), Sagiv Yehezkel (min. 87)
red cards
Osher Davida (min. 87)
It didn’t seem like Real was going to suffer too many hardships, especially after quite early on, just after the first quarter of an hour, Pacheco managed to head in a corner kick to open the scoring and put the game ahead. The Gipuzkoa team took command, but playing at a too slow pace against a team that gave a feeling of fragility and could break at any moment.
But Real did not know how to take advantage of the moment, as if they were satisfied with the result, and saw how in the second half Maccabi took a step forward in search of an equalizer, and caused fear in several ball exits by the San Sebastian team that ended in losses in the vicinity of the Marrero area, who replaced the injured Remiro.
However, Maccabi’s defensive weakness was reflected in two consecutive actions, first in a corner that Sadiq ended up hitting the net, and which after a VAR review ended in a disallowed goal, and the second, then in a cross from Becker from the right that Sergio Gómez finished from close range to double the lead.
But Real took too much confidence and with the score so favorable and with time still ahead, Maccabi closed the gap with a cross from Davida that Turgeman headed into the net to close the gap. There were ten minutes left and the shadow of a tie worried the 106 royalist fans present at the Partizan stadium, although Maccabi was left with ten in the final moments after Davida was sent off for two yellow cards.
In the end, despite the Israelis’ attempted harassment, Real kept the three points.