Real Sociedad claimed a rare European knockout victory—only their second in 14 major matches since defeating Atletico Madrid in November 1998, by edging past FC Midtjylland 2-1 at the MCH Arena.
The hard-fought win in their maiden head-to-head encounter puts Sociedad within touching distance of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.
The hosts made a bright start, nearly taking an early lead when Denil Castillo’s powerful header from a perfectly delivered freekick struck the left post.
However, the visitors gradually took control of the game. Brais Mendez won a penalty after Oliver Sorensen’s reckless challenge and calmly converted it, slotting the ball into the bottom left corner.
Undeterred, the Wolves pushed for an equalizer, forcing Unai Marrero into action.
The Sociedad goalkeeper pulled off two superb saves in quick succession to deny efforts from Dario Osorio and Aral Simsir.
As Midtjylland began to gain momentum, La Real struck again. Takefusa Kubo delivered a moment of brilliance, curling a stunning shot from the right flank into the top corner, an effort reminiscent of Arjen Robben’s signature style.
