Sociedad shock Madrid by putting four past them

Felix Mendoza 06:59 01/09/2014
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  • An early Serg: Ramos put Madrid ahead inside the opening five minutes with the capital club seemingly cruising to victory.

    Real Madrid crashed to a stunning defeat against Real Sociedad last night, squandering an early two-goal lead due to some catastrophic defending.

    All seemed well for Los Blancos when Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale sent them 2-0 ahead with just 11 minutes played, but an inexplica­ble game saw the hosts roar back to claim the points and leave visiting boss Carlo Ancelotti desperately searching for answers.

    Notably, all four of the host’s goals came from crosses or corners, with David Zurutuza striking twice after an earlier Inigo Martinez header and substitute Carlos Vela was then given time to thrash home the final goal.

    There was no sign of the car­nage to follow when Madrid took a quick lead as Ramos rose high to flick home a corner from Toni Kroos, and the defender nearly had a second when his curled free-kick rebounded off the crossbar.

    Real doubled their lead with a beauty from Bale, who received a pass from Modric, nutmegged Gor­ka Elustondo and rolled a precise low shot inside the right post.

    With Sociedad shambolic, Madrid left-back Marcelo twice came close after rampaging runs, firstly shooting narrowly wide on the turn and then demand­ing a decent stop from Enaut Zu­bikarai with a firm strike, before Ramos headed onto the roof of the net from the resulting corner.

    But after a dreadful start, Socie­dad eventually woke up midway through the first half and Ramos had to make a great block to deny former teammate Esteban Granero.

    It was nearly 3-0 when Kroos pounced on more poor defending to burst clear, but Zubikarai saved with his legs and before long his team had a lifeline when Xabi Prie­to flicked on a corner and Martinez was open at the far post to finish.

    And remarkably, five minutes later the scores were level as Ivan De La Bella arrowed a left-wing cross into the path of the unmarked Zurutuza, whose header thundered past the stranded Iker Casillas.

    Fittingly, a chaotic first half fin­ished with yet another chance as James Rodriguez delivered a free-kick and Ramos – yet again – won the header but saw the ball bounce inches wide of the right post.

    The drama resumed unabated in the second period as Prieto’s cross picked out Imanol Agirretxe, but Casillas somehow managed to get a toe on the header to deflect it wide, before the same player had another goalbound strike deflected wide by Ramos’s block.

    Sociedad’s incredible turnaround was completed with 25 minutes remaining as Madrid’s porous de­fence again yielded to a cross, this time delivered from the right byline by Prieto and crashed home from close range by Zurutuza.

    Unbelievably, the hosts then doubled their advantage with yet another goal from a corner, the ball again being allowed to travel a long distance before Vela controlled on his chest and shoulder and, with the Madrid defence appealing en masse for handball, thrashed home a left-footed shot on the turn.

    The otherwise anonymous James had a shot well saved by Zubika­rai and an equally disappointing Karim Benzema fired against the outside of the post, but there was no way back for the visitors. 

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