Sociedad’s late‑night thriller turns the tide at Anoeta

Real Sociedad turned a tidy 2‑0 half‑time lead into a five‑goal circus that left Deportivo La Coruña scrambling for a miracle that never arrived. The home side’s early dominance was textbook: a swift opening strike, a second‑minute header, and a tidy finish before the break left the visitors staring at a mountain they’d have to scale in 45 minutes.

The second half should have been a formality, but Deportivo, spurred on by a restless crowd, pulled one back with a low‑driven effort from their striker at the 55th minute. The goal sparked a brief flirtation with a comeback, and for a spell the match resembled a roller‑coaster rather than a stroll. Yet Sociedad’s response was ruthless. A counter‑attack finished by the ever‑clinical Jonathan David (7.8/10) restored the two‑goal cushion, and a late header from Álvaro Vallés (7.95/10) sealed a 3‑2 win that will be replayed in the boardroom for weeks.

Kylian Mbappé, the French flash who arrived on loan this season, lived up to the hype with a dazzling 8.1/10 rating. His dribble past two defenders and a pinpoint pass that unlocked the back line were the kind of moments that make you forget you’re watching a league fixture and not a Champions League final. Jude Bellingham, never one to be a background player, added a solid 7.88/10, contributing both box‑to‑box work and a key interception that prevented a potential equaliser.

Deportivo’s lack of a standout rating says it all; the visitors were a collection of moments without a man to anchor them. Their defence, which looked resolute after the 55th‑minute goal, crumbled under the pressure of Sociedad’s relentless pressing, and their midfield never found the rhythm to feed the lone striker.

What does this mean for the table? Sociedad’s three points lift them a notch higher in the mid‑table scramble, tightening the race for the coveted European slots and widening the gap to the relegation‑watching clubs. Deportivo, stuck in the lower reaches, remain stuck in a familiar pattern of near‑misses that will see them linger in the danger zone unless the next fixture brings a dose of pragmatism.

In short, Sociedad walked out as the undisputed bosses of a match that flirted with chaos, while Deportivo left with a lesson in how quickly a half‑time lead can evaporate when you lack a player to change the game.

Player Ratings

• Kylian Mbappé – 8.1/10
• Álvaro Vallés – 7.95/10
• Jude Bellingham – 7.88/10
• Jonathan David – 7.8/10