Valencia claimed a dramatic 4-3 away victory at Real Sociedad, with Javier Guerra's late heroics securing three points in a thrilling La Liga encounter at Reale Arena.
Real Sociedad and Valencia arrived at the Basque Country with contrasting fortunes. Sociedad sat eighth in the table with 45 points from 36 matches, while Valencia occupied 11th place with 43 points. Both teams needed wins to push their European ambitions, setting the stage for an open, attacking contest.
The match exploded into life from the opening moments. Aihen Munoz fired Sociedad ahead in the third minute, giving the hosts an early advantage. Valencia responded swiftly. Javier Guerra equalized just five minutes later in the eighth minute, showing the visitors' attacking intent.
Guerra struck again in the 22nd minute, putting Valencia 2-1 ahead. The away side looked dangerous on the counter-attack. Sociedad's defense struggled to contain Valencia's movement and pace in the opening stages.
Sociedad pressed for an equalizer before half-time but couldn't find the breakthrough. Valencia controlled possession periods but couldn't extend their lead further. The first half ended with Valencia holding a one-goal advantage despite Sociedad's territorial dominance.
The second half began with Sociedad pushing hard for an equalizer. In the 60th minute, Carlos Tarrega's own goal leveled the match at 2-2. Sociedad sensed momentum shifting their way and pressed forward aggressively.
Orri Oskarsson put Sociedad ahead for the first time since the third minute, scoring in the 63rd minute. The hosts believed they could claim victory. However, Valencia refused to surrender despite playing with numerical disadvantage.
Valencia received a significant blow when Enzo Comert received a red card in the 70th minute. Playing with 10 men, the visitors needed to reorganize defensively. Sociedad dominated possession with 55 percent of the ball but couldn't capitalize on their advantage.
Guido Rodríguez equalized for Valencia in the 89th minute, rescuing the visitors from defeat. The match remained level heading into injury time. Guerra completed his match-winning performance in the 90+3rd minute, firing Valencia ahead and securing an unlikely victory.
Statistically, Valencia created more opportunities despite their numerical disadvantage. The visitors recorded six shots on target compared to Sociedad's three. Valencia's expected goals (1.58) exceeded Sociedad's (1.01), reflecting their clinical finishing. Guerra's two-goal performance earned him a 9.2 rating, the match's highest.
The result leaves Sociedad eighth with 45 points while Valencia climbs to 11th with 46 points. Valencia's comeback victory demonstrates their resilience in difficult circumstances. Both teams continue their push toward European qualification in the final stages of the season.
