Gonzalo Higuain's 10th goal of the season guided
Real Madrid to a narrow victory at Real Sociedad as
they went to the top of the Primera Division.
Higuain scored in the ninth minute as Real threatened
to run riot, with the hosts indebted to goalkeeper Claudio
Bravo.
Sociedad came back after half-time and piled on the
pressure but they could not make their approach pay
as Jose Mourinho's side claimed top spot, one place
ahead of Barcelona after their rampant win over Mallorca.
Higuain gave Real an early lead. Fabio Coentrao slotted
a low pass through to the Argentinian, who timed his
run to perfection to beat the offside trap, running
on to the ball to lift it over the keeper who had gone
to ground.
It was all Madrid, with Iker Casillas virtually redundant
in the visitors' goal in contrast to his opposite number.
Cristiano Ronaldo unleashed a fierce 30-yard shot which
curled and dipped with Claudio Bravo expecting it to
bounce, but he was forced to go down and parry.
Angel Di Maria burst through and curled a left-footed
shot which was goalbound, with the keeper showing good
reflexes to get down and save.
The same player again came close before Higuain was
released and ran between two defenders only to fire
straight at the onrushing keeper.
Sociedad came back after the interval, however, and
forced Casillas into making his first save of the match
after an hour when Carlos Vela pounced on sloppiness
by the visitors' defence before shooting, which the
keeper managed to beat out.
Antoine Griezmann fired in a left-footed shot which
Casillas pushed out low to his left for a corner.
Higuain spurned the chance to double the lead when,
rather than shooting when unmarked on the right of the
area, he attempted to pass across the area to Ronaldo
but managed to only put the ball behind the Portuguese.
Sergio Ramos then contrived to miss in front of goal
from Coentrao's cross but it was Sociedad who continued
to pile on the pressure.
However, they could not penetrate Real, who held on
for victory. |
