Athletic Club 2-1 Real Sociedad: Berenguer's stoppage-time penalty settles the Basque derby
Iñaki Williams opened the scoring, Luka Sucic levelled from outside the box, and Álex Berenguer converted a penalty in the second minute of first-half stoppage time to win the Basque derby for Athletic Club.
The Basque derby went Athletic Club's way, but not until the very end of the first half. Iñaki Williams put the hosts ahead early, Luka Sucic levelled for Real Sociedad from outside the area, and Álex Berenguer settled it from the penalty spot two minutes into first-half stoppage time — a decision that, once given, he did not miss.
San Mamés had seen fourteen minutes of probing before the opening goal arrived: Nico Williams slipped a pass through the Real Sociedad back line and his brother finished first time from the centre of the box. Real Sociedad's reply came midway through the half, Sucic striking from distance after Carlos Soler had worked the ball to him, the shot beating Unai Simón from outside the box on the right side of goal.
A penalty right on the whistle
The decisive moment came deep into added time at the end of the first half. Nico Williams was fouled by Jon Aramburu inside the area, and after the referee pointed to the spot, Berenguer stepped up and sent his penalty down the middle with conviction. It meant Athletic Club went in at the break ahead for the second time, and this time they did not relinquish it.
The second half settled into a tighter, more cautious contest. Real Sociedad had the better of possession — 62% to Athletic's 38% — and Takefusa Kubo, Héctor Fort and Orri Óskarsson were all introduced from the bench in search of an equaliser, but clear chances dried up. Athletic Club held their shape and saw out the closing stages with Unai Simón largely untroubled after the break.
Match facts
- 14' — Iñaki Williams (Athletic Club), assisted by Nico Williams
- 30' — Luka Sucic (Real Sociedad)
- 45+2' — Álex Berenguer (Athletic Club), penalty
| Stat | Athletic Club | Real Sociedad |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 38.1% | 61.9% |
| Shots on target | 3 | 5 |
| Total shots | 13 | 14 |
| Pass accuracy | 308/367 (83.9%) | 515/598 (86.1%) |
| Fouls committed | 11 | 13 |
| Offsides | 0 | 2 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 3 |
Line-ups
- Athletic Club (4-4-2): Unai Simón; Laporte, Vivian, Berchiche, Rincón; Gerenabarrena, Canales, N. Williams, Berenguer; I. Williams, Sannadi
- Real Sociedad (4-4-2): Remiro; Sarr, Martín, Gómez, Aramburu; Soler, Gorrotxategi, Barrenetxea, Guedes; Oyarzabal, Sucic
Two different runs of form colliding
Athletic Club arrived unbeaten in six league matches since a late-August defeat at Barcelona — three wins and three draws, including a goalless trip to Valencia and a 4-0 rout of Getafe — conceding only once in that run, against Elche. Real Sociedad's form told a different story: four straight league wins coming in, scoring heavily against Málaga (5-2) and Levante (2-1) along the way, but also shipping 10 goals across those last five matches, a defensive record that made this derby look winnable for whoever took their chances.
That contrast showed in how the game played out: Real Sociedad dominated the ball and created the better chances by shot count, but it was Athletic Club's efficiency in front of goal — just three shots on target to the visitors' five, with two goals from them — that decided it.
What's next
The win takes Athletic Club to 15 points from only nine games played, holding 7th with a goal difference of plus six that is among the best in the division relative to games played. Real Sociedad stay on 19 points and 5th, but their goal difference is wiped out to level after conceding twice, their four-match winning run ended at the worst possible venue for it.
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