Real Sociedad Defeats Barcelona, Lewandowski Ruled Offside

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Post on Nov 11, 2024

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Real Sociedad Stuns Barcelona, Lewandowski's Goal Ruled Out in 2-1 Thriller

Real Sociedad secured a stunning 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Reale Arena, handing the Catalan giants their first La Liga defeat of the season. The match was a thrilling encounter, with both teams showcasing their attacking prowess, but it was the home side who emerged triumphant thanks to a brace from Alexander Sørloth.

The drama began early when Barcelona, seemingly destined for another dominant display, found themselves behind after just 12 minutes. A brilliant counter-attack orchestrated by Takefusa Kubo saw the Japanese midfielder slip a pass through to Sørloth, who calmly slotted the ball past the onrushing Marc-André ter Stegen to give Real Sociedad the lead.

Barcelona responded with a flurry of attacks, putting constant pressure on the Sociedad defense. Robert Lewandowski, who had scored in each of his previous four La Liga appearances, was a constant threat, but despite numerous chances, the Polish striker was unable to find the back of the net.

The second half saw Barcelona turn up the heat, and they were eventually rewarded when Raphinha, who had replaced the ineffective Ousmane Dembélé, drew a penalty after a foul from Aihen Muñoz. **Lewandowski stepped up to take the penalty, but his effort was saved by Alex Remiro, who guessed correctly and dived to his left to deny the Barcelona striker.

Just as it looked like Barcelona would finally find a way through, Sørloth struck again. A clever pass from Brais Méndez found the Norwegian forward, who expertly controlled the ball and fired a shot past Ter Stegen to double Sociedad's lead.

The Catalan giants weren't done yet, and they finally got on the scoresheet with just over 10 minutes remaining. Lewandowski, after another dominant display, headed the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside. The Polish forward was visibly frustrated by the decision, but it was clear that the goal would have been disallowed by even the most generous VAR interpretation.

The victory for Real Sociedad marks a major upset and throws the La Liga title race wide open. Barcelona still lead the table, but with a few more results like this, their early dominance could be quickly eroded.

This was a performance full of passion and grit from Real Sociedad, who thoroughly deserved their victory. They showcased their ability to play with fluidity and efficiency, making the most of their opportunities and shutting down Barcelona's attacking threat. This was a statement win for Imanol Alguacil's side, and they will be hoping to build on this momentum in the weeks ahead.