Real Sociedad comfortably secured their place in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Reale Arena. The txuri-urdin, led by a brilliant performance from Take Kubo, demonstrated their superiority throughout the match, dominating from start to finish.
From the beginning, Real Sociedad took control of the game, generating several dangerous attacks, particularly through Kubo’s runs on the right wing. Despite Rayo’s efforts to counterattack, it was the hosts who struck first. In the 23rd minute, after a corner kick, Kubo expertly cut inside the Rayo defense and delivered a perfect assist to Mikel Oyarzabal, who slotted the ball into the net to make it 1-0.
The dominance continued, with Kubo repeatedly outpacing Rayo’s defense. However, before the halftime break, Real Sociedad doubled their lead. A ball recovery in midfield led to a stunning long-range shot from Olasagasti, which found the back of the net in the 46th minute. Although the referee had indicated three minutes of added time, Rayo took advantage of a penalty awarded for a foul by Zubeldia on Trejo, with the Argentine converting from the spot to pull one back, making it 2-1 just before halftime.
In the second half, Real Sociedad remained in control. Kubo came close to assisting Oyarzabal again, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The match became even easier for the hosts when Rayo was reduced to 10 men, as Pacha Espino was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Oyarzabal in the 78th minute.
Finally, in the same minute as the sending-off, Real Sociedad sealed the win. Sergio Gómez took a free kick from the left, and the ball was poorly cleared by Rayo’s defense, allowing it to end up in the back of the net to make it 3-1.
With this victory, Real Sociedad secured their place in the quarterfinals draw and showed that, with Kubo in top form, they are a team not to be underestimated.
