Our La Liga game of the week sees us take a look back at Real Sociedad’s unlikely 5-0 rout of a Girona side that has otherwise adapted well to life in the top flight of Spanish football.
The two sides came into the tie in startlingly different form, with European football outsiders Girona travelling to a Sociedad side that sat 14th in the table.
However, any expectations that this would be a routine win on their pursuit of European football were dashed in the first half – Sergio Canales’ whipped in-swinger of a cross unintentionally hitting the target in the 11th minute as he himself hit three goals and 34 points for the season.
Sociedad have looked troubled at times this season, delivering inconsistent performances that have seen them occupy an uninspired bottom half of the table for much of the campaign.
However, any suggestions that there might be a re-occurrence of their patchy form was put to bed when Adnan Januzaj doubled the hosts lead on 35 minutes – springing the Girona offside trap before calmly rounding the keeper and slipping the ball into an unguarded net.
The Belgian international is yet to live up to the hype since bursting onto the scenes during the Moyes era but he highlighted what he is capable of at his best here, his goal seeing him earn a spot in our team of the week.
Stung at being two down at the break, Girona new they had to come out fighting in the second half.
However, a goal was not forthcoming and opportunities arose for Sociedad to exploit the spaces left in behind by the visitors.
On 71 minutes, Mikel Ozarzabal more or less put the came to bed – the Girona offside line again being outfoxed as the 20-year-old winger blasted home from a one-on-one situation.
Girona now clearly deflated, the Spaniard took advantage again late on as he once again broke in behind before stoking into an unguarded net following a Bono error.
The demolition finally reached its conclusion, as Juanmi tapped in a fifth in the 88th minute to round off a comprehensive victory for the hosts.
His goal was only his sixth of the campaign, in what was has been a frustrating campaign for the striker.
Putting him on 26 points for the season, he will be hoping it can be the beginning of an end of season bounce in form.
The surprise result saw Sociedad rise to 13th in the table on 37 points, whilst Girona failed to capitalise on Sevilla’s defeat to Celta Vigo and remain eighth in the league.
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