Kenyan international Job Ochieng continued to make his mark in La Liga after providing an assist as Real Sociedad edged Valencia CF 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at Mestalla on Sunday night.
Ochieng started the match for Real Sociedad and played a key role in the visitors’ opening goal, setting up Croatian midfielder Luka Sučić for a stunning finish in the first half. The assist was Ochieng’s third in LaLiga, further underlining his growing influence since making the step up to Spanish top-flight football.
Real Sociedad started the match brightly and looked comfortable in possession during the opening stages. The visitors moved the ball well and managed to create several opportunities as they looked to take control of the contest.
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Their pressure eventually paid off in the 26th minute when Ochieng played a well-weighted pass into the path of Sučić. The Croatian made no mistake, curling the ball beautifully into the top corner to give Real Sociedad a 1-0 lead.
Valencia responded strongly after going behind and began to put more pressure on the visitors. However, Real Sociedad managed to hold on to their advantage until the break despite having opportunities to extend their lead on the counter-attack.
The home side came out with greater intent after the restart and eventually found an equaliser in the 57th minute through Mayol, who produced an excellent volley that flew beyond Real Sociedad goalkeeper Álex Remiro.
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The equaliser changed the momentum of the game, with Valencia putting Real Sociedad under considerable pressure. However, the visitors regained the lead in the 76th minute after Yangel Herrera’s good work earned them a penalty. Carlos Soler stepped up and converted from the spot to make it 2-1.
Ochieng’s evening came to an end in the 61st minute when he was replaced by Ander Barrenetxea, who would go on to become the match-winner.
Valencia refused to give up and were rewarded with another equaliser in the 84th minute. Real Sociedad defender Beitia inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to prevent a close-range effort, bringing the score level at 2-2.
With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Real Sociedad pushed forward once again in search of a late winner. Their persistence paid off deep into stoppage time when Barrenetxea produced a superb finish from a corner in the 92nd minute to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory.
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The win gave Real Sociedad three valuable points away from home and continued their ability to produce results in difficult circumstances. It also provided another memorable night for Ochieng, whose contribution to the opening goal added another assist to his growing LaLiga statistics.
The Kenyan has now registered three assists in the Spanish top flight, a significant achievement as he continues to establish himself at the highest level of Spanish football.
Real Sociedad will now head into the international league break with confidence after securing another hard-fought victory, while Ochieng will be looking to build on his latest performance when domestic action resumes.