A late header from Gareth Bale gave Real Madrid a vital victory in the La Liga race. The visitors were mediocre for much of the game, with Ronaldo and Benzema’s absence being felt dearly, but Bale popped up to score in the 80th minute and put Real Madrid top of La Liga, with Barcelona and Atletico to play.
Lineups:
Real Sociedad’s starting XI: Rulli; Mikel, Illarra, M.Bergara, Bruma, Prieto, Zurutuza, Yuri, Zaldua, Oyarzabal, Elustondo. Subs: Olazabal, Granero, Pardo, Hector Hdez, Reyes, De la Bella, Bautista.
Real Madrid’s starting XI: Navas; Danilo, Varane, Ramos, Nacho; Casemiro, Modric, Rodriguez; Vasquez, Bale, Borja. Subs: Kiko Casilla, Pepe, Marcelo, Carvajal, Kovacic, Jese, Isco.
First Half
With the rain pouring down in San Sebastian as the crowd at the Anoeta welcomed both teams on to the pitch, the onus was on Real Madrid, and Gareth Bale in particular, to keep their La Liga title chances alive, in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
It was the Welshman who almost scored for Real Madrid in the 3rd minute, after James Rodriguez put Bale through on the right. The world’s most expensive signing let fly from a narrowing angle with his right foot, but the strike across goal went wide. James went close minutes later, as Real Madrid dominated the opening stages.
Zidane was left twirling in agony as the visitors went close from a Modric corner, with Sergio Ramos glancing a free header wide in the 12th minute. Bale also went close with a couple of headers as the half progressed, with Sociedad barely managing an attack.
It was Real Madrid who went closest through Nacho in the 40th minute, as the fullback powered past his marker on the left wing into the box, but saw his shot deflected and then cleared off the line by Bergara, with Rulli stranded in the Sociedad goal.
Zidane had a concerned look as he trudged off the pitch, as the 0-0 score at half-time was the wrong one for Real Madrid in the title race.
Second Half
The absence of Ronaldo and Benzema could be keenly felt, although Gareth Bale did his best to drag Madrid out of their funk, with the Welshman heading over the near post from a 47th minute corner. Given his involvement, thoughout the game, it was hardly a surprise when Real Madrid’s next chance went to Gareth Bale.
However, Zidane must have been left wishing that it had fallen to someone else on the pitch as the Welshman spurned a fantastic chance to score in the 57th minute. James whipped in a low cross from the left, and an awful clearance fell right to Bale in the box, but all he could do was shoot right at Rulli in goal when it looked easier to score.
A flurry of yellow cards followed, as Real Madrid looked increasingly pedestrian as the second half progressed. Zidane attempted to change things with Jese and Isco coming off for Borja and James. Jese was straight into the action, drawing a save from Rulli in goal moments after coming on, and sending an effort wide in the 77th minute.
With the visitors desperate, up stepped their record signing to break the deadlock in the 80th minute. Lucas Vasquez sent in a wonderful cross from the right, and Bale majestically outjumped Elustondo to head home a crucial goal into the top right corner with his fourth headed effort of the game.
The visitors killed the game in the last 10 minutes, although Real Sociedad almost went close from a free-kick in injury time. It didn’t matter as the referee blew the final whistle, with the Real Madrid bench celebrating a vital victory with wild celebrations, putiing them on top of La Liga, with Atletico and Barcelona to play later.
