Despite their disappointing recent form, Elche came into this encounter still unbeaten at home since promotion, and Rafa Mir was on a personal mission to extend that run in the first 15 minutes, twice forcing Alex Remiro in the visitors’ goal into reaction saves.
La Real didn’t have a sight of goal until past the half’s midpoint when Takefusa Kubo caught a sweet half-volley from the edge of the area which Matias Dituro batted away, before the hosts immediately launched a counter-attack, resulting in Rodri Mendoza firing narrowly wide.
Another Mir chance came and went when he applied a deft touch to Josan Ferrandez’s square pass, only to see the ball squirm the wrong side of the post. The end-to-end nature of the match continued as Goncalo Guedes teed up Jon Gorrotxategi at the edge of the area, but he too saw the ball drop a whisker wide.
With half-time looming, Oyarzabal tried an audacious attempt from the halfway line which Dituro watched curl away from goal, before the home goalkeeper got fingertips to another effort from Oyarzabal, this time from much closer range.
Sociedad came into this on a three-match winning run, but a Brais Mendez effort straight at Dituro was the closest they came to making it four early in the second half. The home side finally threatened again 12 minutes after the restart, and in clinical fashion.
After a free-kick was cleared, Elche recycled the ball well, and when Alvaro Nunez crossed back into the box, no one was picking up Alvaro Rodriguez, who took the ball down and hammered his first of the season into the roof of the net.
Sergio Francisco’s side thought they had drawn themselves level with 25 minutes to play, but Jon Aramburu’s towering header was expertly tipped over by Dituro. Despite plenty of late pressure, the San Sebastian side were struggling to create further opportunities late on, but with two minutes to go, they were presented with one when David Affengruber’s clumsy challenge on Umar Sadiq gave the visitors a penalty.
Oyarzabal stepped up and beat Dituro from 12 yards to ensure the spoils were shared. Eder Sarabia’s side can take solace from staying unbeaten in six home matches, while La Real have avoided defeat in four of the eight matches in which they have conceded first.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad)
Check out the match stats here.
