Real Sociedad win and recover Oyarzabal and Villarreal win the derby

MADRID, 31 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Sociedad closed 2022 with a good victory over Osasuna (2-0) at the Reale Arena, with 3 points and an extra value for the return of Mikel Oyarzabal after 9 months out due to injury, while Villarreal came back to open with victory in the derby against Valencia CF (2-1) in the remodeled Estadio de la Cerámica.

Undoubtedly, the best news for Real Sociedad was seeing their captain Mikel Oyarzabal on the pitch again, after tearing the cruciate ligament in his left knee last March. In minute 87', already 2-0 on the scoreboard, the historic Anoeta surrendered to his '10'.

The game was already resolved when Oyarzabal completed the party. On 22', Brais Méndez finished off with his left foot from the right wing, inside the area, to beat Aitor Fernández with a shot close to the left post.

Brais Méndez assisted David Silva shortly after so that the canary could put the rojillo goalkeeper to the test. La Real dominated and Osasuna tried, helplessly, to encircle the rival goal, although only Chimy Ávila and Rubén Peña seemed to have some danger in their boots.

Already in the second part, Osasuna put one more gear and did manage to disturb the people from San Sebastian. He tried his luck with Aimar Oroz or Jon Moncayola, who equalized with a long shot that just missed the crossbar.

However, Real Sociedad was regaining control and the weight of the game. Again thanks to Brais Méndez, one of the best in the 'txuri-urdines', Real came close to making it 2-0 but the Galician's shot in minute 58 went licking the post. And Momo Cho did not hit two minutes later either.

The goal of tranquility and the sentence came on 64', when Alexander Sorloth finished off with his left foot inside the area to beat Aitor Fernández down the middle, with the assistance of the omnipresent Brais Méndez after a long pass into space.

In the remodeled and new Estadio de la Cerámica, Villarreal managed to win the Valencian derby against Valencia CF (2-1) with a comeback included. Three gold points that are worth the 'Yellow Submarine' to move away from the 'che' and rise to seventh place in the table, 3 points from the 'Champions' zone.

It was a nice derby, with contrasts and constant changes of dominance. Villarreal started better but, incomprehensibly, Gerard Moreno missed a goal called in the first minute by sending off, being alone, a pass from Álex Baena's death.

Perhaps because of that mistake by Villarreal and the fact that Etienne Capoue did not convert a great personal move into a goal at 8', the locals got lost on the pitch. Something that Valencia took advantage of to take control, climb lines and find the goal in the boots of the 'killer' Edinson Cavani, who beat Pepe Reina with a powerful shot after picking up the rejection of Lino's previous shot.

The Valencian goal, after a quarter of an hour, did not wake up Villarreal. The people of Castellón, who were returning to their fiefdom after months of work to fine-tune the new Estadio de la Cerámica, had trouble reacting and failed to lock Valencia in their own area.

In fact, with Samuel Lino or Yunus Musah, Gennaro Gattuso's team had the best chances to try to extend their advantage. A dominance and some good feelings that were nullified when, on the verge of half-time, Samu Chukwueze finished off a great counter and Gerard Moreno's assist was good.

A key goal that began to change the balance of the derby. Villarreal grew up, believed in themselves and in being able to celebrate the inauguration of their new home, and they tried it out with Alberto Moreno at 51' or with Gerard Moreno at 60'.

Despite the fact that Valencia also relied on Cavani again to try to recover the initiative, the last quarter of an hour went to the 'Yellow Submarine', who besieged their rival until achieving the winning goal, the comeback, in minute 88' thanks to a header, after a corner taken by former Valencian player Dani Parejo, from World Cup champion Juan Foyth.