Real Madrid finishes the year 2015 with a rather bad 3-1 win over Real Sociedad and can't definitely be not pleased with this performance and this three points. Sociedad had some chances and despite a wonderful strike from the young Bruma, the guests couldn't spring a suprise at Santiago Bernabéu and had to leave the capital city with the head bowed.
Benitez brought a more offensive Real Madrid than usual on the pitch
It took a while if something happened in this match at the start, but a header from Pepe after a corner cared for a murmer which went trough the crowd. Guets' goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli saved the header great and saved his team to concede a goal in the opening stage. Then followed another twice great chances for the Los Blancos.
First Gareth Bale assisted Cristiano Ronaldo, but also the Portugese failed at Rulli and second, a cross by Marcelo was blocked by a defender and the ball landed in front of Karim Benzema. However, his shot was saved very well again by the youngstar in the Sociedad's goal.
Rafa Benitez' tactic change for this match hadReal Madrid playing more offensively, creating more chances and looked much more dangerous. Sociedad had their problems to defend the hosts, but the team from north of Spain always had a leg or head in the way and so the fans at Santiago Bernabéu had to wait a long time for the first goal in the last meeting of 2015.
Real Sociedad defended very well against Madrid and also didn't hide to play football in the first half and some chances, which Keylor Navas but all saved easily, bolstered the away team up.
Referee José Luis González decided to give the hosts a penalty in the 21st minute after Benzema were pushed by a defender in the penalty area. The striker accepted with thanks and had a lot of luck that the 41-year-old referee showed on the spot in that moment. Cristiano Ronaldo went to spot and missed a big opportunity to take the lead but his shot from 12 yards out went way too high and wide over the crossbar.
In the 39th minute, Real got another penalty, after a Sociedad defender played the ball with the hand after Gareth Bale tried to cross into the centre. This time, the 31-year-old Golden Ball contender scored from the spot and goalkeeper Rulli couldn't save this shot, despite finding the right bearing.
Real Madrid so lead deserved with 1-0 before half-time whistle and went under some whistles into the cabins after two minutes added time, because of bad injuries from Agirretxe and Canales.
Fantastic equaliser after changeover
Only four minutes after the changeover, Bruma, who got subbed in for Agirretxe in the 18th minute, scored with a superb strike and equalised for Real Sociedad. Danilo didn't attack strong enough and gave Bruma enough time and space to try a shot and this one went in top corner. Keylor Navas had absolutely no chance to save this great shot.
And Sociedad went on after their goal, Bruma had only a few minutes later another great chance to even lead against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu, but goalkeeper Navas was on his guard and parried the ball. Madridistas started to struggle and Rafa Benitez brought Kovacic for James into this match and hoped for more creativity and stability in midfield.
Minutes after minutes with justified whistles from the crowd at Santiago Bernabéu gone and a corner by Marcelo in the 67th minute found the feet of Cristiano Ronaldo, and the offensive player gave Rulli also no chance to save a wonderful shot. Real Madrid lead again against Sociedad and still needed to bring the lead over the time against strong Basques.
At that time, both had a very bad pass accuracy with 71 per cent for the hosts and 69 per cent for the guests and it was appreciably that this meeting lost the momentum from the beginning of second half. Madrid didn't find a way to Rulli's goal and otherwise same - Real Sociedad couldn't expend the effort to keep pace with their opponent and breach the defensive wall.
Four minutes before final whistle, Madrid found the back of the net with a goal by subbed-in Lucas Vazquez and finished the match with 3-1 against Real Sociedad. Ronaldo eked out the ball, passed to Gareth Bale and the Welshman with a perfect pass to the 24-year-old forward then. Rulli had again no chance to save this ball and also for Sociedad's defenders were it difficult to snap the ball away and so, despite a rather bad performance by Real Madrid, the hosts took over at the top of the league for the moment.