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First Division - Day 11

Real Sociedad 2 – Atlético Madrid 1

Real: Zubikarai; Carlos Martínez, Mikel González, Iñigo Martínez, Yuri (Zaldúa 56’); Bergara, Granero; Xavi Prieto, Carlos Vela (Zurutuza 87‘), Chory Castro (Hervías 84‘); Agirretxe. 4-2-3-1.
Atlético: Moyá; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Siqueira; Gabi (Cristian Rodríguez 85‘), Mario Suárez (Ansaldi 54‘); Arda Turan (Griezmann 85‘), Raúl García, Koke; Mandzukic. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 10. Mandzukic. Got on the end of Raúl García centre to shoot past keeper..
1-1. 15. Vela. Picked up ball outside area and struck angled shot across Moyá.
2-1. 82. Agirretxe. Got in front of marker to head Zaldúa cross wide of keeper.

Yellow cards: Mario Suárez 13’, Arda Turan 16’, Juanfran 17’, Yuri 18’, Carlos Vela 23’, Siqueira 48’, 50’, Raúl García 51’, Koke 80’, Gabi 81’ / red cards: Siqueira 50’.

Defending champions Atlético Madrid lost ground on their big two rivals after they were beaten 2-1 by Real Sociedad on Sunday evening. B team coach Asier Santana was temporarily in charge of the Basque side for the first and probably last time after Arrasate was fired earlier in the week, and he saw his team go behind in only the tenth minute when Mandzukic got on the end of Raúl García’s cross to beat Zubikarai. However Agirretxe headed just wide soon afterwards, and a couple of minutes later Carlos Vela made it all square with an angled shot from outside of the area. Agirretxe got free later in the first half only to see Godín clear his shot off the line, and Godín was in action at the other end as well, heading a free kick just over the top before the break. Just five minutes in to the second half the visitors were left with ten men when Siqueira picked up two bookings in as many minutes, and the locals had at least two good penalty appeals turned down by the referee, the first when Mandukic’s hard tackle left Vela with a split lip, and the second when Ansaldi blocked the ball with his arm in the area. Real finally got their reward though when Agirretxe got on the end of Zaldúa’s cross to steer a header past Moyà with eight minutes to go, giving his team a first win in nine games. Curiously their only other victory this season was against Atlético’s city rivals, Real Madrid!