2-1: La Real prevailed with little authority

The full six points came to Anoeta with more trouble than anyone expected. La Real beat Omonia, traveling light years, but it faded more than necessary at several stages and frustration hung in the air. A strange connection between Japan’s Kubo and Norway’s Sorloth saved the day nine minutes into added time. Little authority, but enough in the end, to prove leadership in the Europa League, which takes no prisoners even on what seems like the most peaceful day.

The main unknown before the game may be how the second unit will respond to the opportunity Imanol has given them. The unknown lineup. Only three first swords appeared as Zubeldia, Merino or Brais, along with Remiro. The rest of the organizational chart is made up of new faces like Illarra, the acquired Rico, Guevara or Karrikaburu.

La Real reflected all the theories surrounding the game about its superiority over Omonia. Each detail indicates an existing difference in level. It had to be endorsed correctly. The Cypriot device of three central defenders that Lennon, a visiting coach with a Beatle surname, put on the table, could be an obstacle. La Real had to throw out the score and embroider an ‘Imagine’.

Brais is the composer. No Cypriot has ousted the Galician from the party leadership. Illarra and Guevara needed him for Real to switch gears and Merino is the happiest in Europe alongside him. Méndez stimulated the distribution of associative football, opened Sola or center the area with danger.

In the second minute, Brais invented the first action of the goal, stealing the bag from Kitsos in the area. Fabiano guessed his intention. La Real stalled for a few minutes and Bachirou’s injury slowed the pulse even more.

A possible penalty from Kitsos to the inveterate Sola lit the fire and Real benefited from the fact that the afternoon was animated. Aritz finished off a superb cross from Merino on the opposite end. It’s almost half time, where there are some nerve rebels against the drought. One of the unexpected gunners set a great goal.

Ander Guevara, unprecedented this season, put a metatarsal between the grass and a ball that turned juicy. The shot of the youth squad entered the squad. A claim against the loss of minutes, a decisive blow to knock out Omonia.

Bruno, better than Aritz

Real went into a sort of slump to widen the gap after the intermission. His football has become slow, official, even boring. Without any clear idea of ​​breaking the game, as if he took it too much as a formality.

Sorloth only failed against Fabiano after a miracle from Rico: ending the monotony with a good and deep pass. This is a very separate idea, as Omonia pointed out.

The Cypriot team announced that the match will be in the Europa League. That this is not a friendly, not even a first round of the Cup. And they are tied. Bruno interpreted the far diagonal better than an errant Aritz and surprised an uncertain Remiro. Anoeta was angry and a sector of the stadium protested.

Kubo and Sorloth to the rescue

Wounded at the goal conceded, Real took heart and took the wand from Kubo. Entering the Japanese field brought clarity and technical richness. He approached the goal in two steps and got a handle on Sorloth’s goal in the 79th minute. Kubo tucked the ball into his boot and gave the Norwegian the pass the counterattack needed. The striker honored his demarcation. On behalf of all who fell in harm’s way. A stroke of authority.

Seeing that scoring was within reach, Omonia cleared the crease and catapulted a missile into the area that Aritz and Zubeldia had to abort. With these difficulties, Real defended its position as the leader in Group E.