Sociedad beat champions Barcelona to tighten grip on 4th place
Sports Desk, May 20 (EFE).- Real Sociedad edged LaLiga champions Barcelona 2-1 Saturday for their first victory at Camp Nou in 22 years, giving themselves a 5-point lead over Villarreal in the battle for fourth place.
By a strange coincidence, the last time the team from San Sebastian won in Barcelona, May 18, 1991, was against a Blaugrana side that had already secured the title.
Perhaps looking ahead to the post-match trophy presentation, the hosts were a bit distracted at the start, but it took Sociedad only five minutes to snap them out of their reverie.
Alexander Sorloth robbed the ball from Barcelona defender Jules Kounde and passed to Mikel Merino, who beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen from close range to put the visitors up 1-0.
Conceding jolted the hosts into action and they flew forward in search of an equalizer.
Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro denied Ousmane Dembele in the 16th minute, while midfielder Martin Zubimendi intervened to shut down an attempt by Franck Kessie before Robert Lewandowski fired over the cross-bar.
The action shifted back to the other end, where Ter Stegen made stops against Ander Barrenetxea and Momo Cho.
Sorloth doubled the advantage for Sociedad in the 72nd minute, assisted by sub Take Kubo. Again, the play that led to the goal began with a takeaway, as Zubimendi dispossessed Frenkie de Jong.
Lewandowski halved the deficit in the 90th minute with his 22nd LaLiga goal of the season, but Barcelona could not find an equalizer.
EFE vmc/dr
