Real Socediad 2-0 Aberdeen: Dons suffer first-leg defeat in Spain
- adamhigginsuk
- Jul 31, 2014
- 4 min read
Long suffering: The Dons applauded their fans at full-time after being second best at the San Sebastian (Picture from SNS Group)
A RESILIENT Aberdeen were outclassed by Real Socediad in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier at the Anoeta Stadium.
The Dons held out well during the first half as Socediad grew into the game but the superiority of the impressive Spaniards eventually told.
David Zurutuza prodded home the opener on 53 minutes and substitute Sergio Canales struck a powerful low effort from range.
Aberdeen were indebted to goalkeeper Jamie Langfield for a number of key saves, particularly in the second half.
Despite only a two-goal deficit, the defeat was comprehensive and Derek McInnes's side face a difficult task in the second leg at Pittodrie next Thursday if they are to reach the play-off round.
The La Liga outfit - who competed in last season's Champions League group stages - took a while to impose themselves in their first competitive fixture of the campaign.
But Socediad were too strong for the Scottish Premiership side, who were handed their first defeat of the new season.
The Dons were well supported in the Basque region by 500 vocal away supporters and arrived full of confidence after overcoming Dutch side FC Groningen on aggregate in the previous round.
McInnes made one change in personnel from last week's 2-1 away win in Holland as the experienced midfielder Barry Robson replaced centre-back Andrew Considine with Jonny Hayes dropping into left-back.
With the Spanish season still more than three weeks away, Sociedad's lack of match practice was evident in the opening exchanges as Aberdeen began with plenty of possession.
But the hosts carved out the first opportunity after quarter of an hour when debutant Alfred Finnbogason, an £8 million signing from Heerenveen, directed a free header wide from a corner after Ryan Jack blocked Xabi Preto's volley.
Adam Rooney then picked up a yellow card from German referee Bastian Dankert for clashing with Inigo Martinez.
The Dons, who had beaten Latvian opponents Daugava Riga in the first qualifying round, felt the step up in class as Sociedad began to dominate.
Niall McGinn gifted possession to Real skipper Prieto, who sent a 20-yard effort inches wide with a beaten Langfield scampering across his goal.
Aberdeen were fortunate to escape a penalty shout when Willo Flood lunged in on Finnbogason just inside the box and Markel Bergara fizzed a long-range shot over the top as they came under intense pressure.
Sociedad should have opened the scoring 10 minutes before the break when former Celtic transfer target Finnbogason volleyed Chori Castro's knockdown over the bar as Dons captain Russell Anderson closed him down.
Ruben Pardo then ballooned another shot over from Prieto's pullback 12 yards out as another chance passed the hosts by.
Mark Reynolds sent a volley over from Hayes's free-kick in a rare moment of respite for the Dons, who somehow reached half-time with a goalless scoreline still intact.
Sociedad's shot-on-sight policy continued once the action resumed as Finnbogason brought a first meaningful save from Langfield with a speculative drive from an acute angle.
But it was only a matter of time before the deserved breakthrough was made and it arrived on 53 minutes, albeit with a gift element courtesy of the Dons.
Josepa Zaldua got the better of Hayes on the edge of the box and although Shaleum Logan blocked Finnbogason's shot, he inadvertently set up Zurutuza to scoop the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
Real only grew in confidence as the visitors struggled to stem the flow of relentless attacks, with the introduction of Considine for the virtually anonymous Peter Pawlett signalling McInnes's worry that the tie could get away from his side.
Bergara cracked the top of the crossbar after dispossessing Robson and Canales tested Langfield with an angled shot.
But the former Real Madrid midfielder gave his side breathing space midway through the half with a forceful 25-yard hit which flew into the net, leaving Langfield completely stranded.
The hosts looked for a third to kill off the tie and Martinez's header hit the underside of the crossbar after Langfield denied Canales once again.
Aberdeen found a way into the game in the closing minutes following the introductions of David Goodwillie and Nicky Low from the bench, in place of Rooney and Robson.
On 76 minutes, Low wasted a decent opening when he hit the wall with a free-kick from a promising position, however, the Dons never looked like threatening a crucial away goal.
Langfield was called upon at the other end when a defensive blunder from Logan allowed Imanol Agirretxe to latch on to a long ball over the top but the striker never really got the ball down properly though and Langfield was quickly out to block.
And Agirretxe then had a great chance in injury-time when he beat Considine to a cross, but the forward sliced high and wide.
Despite several near misses, Sociedad settled for a two-goal advantage ahead of next week's return leg while Aberdeen have it all to do to revive their severely dented hopes of extending their European adventure.
Last updated: 31 July 2014 22:27pm
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