Actual Sociedad inched in the direction of a Copa del Rey closing look with a primary leg win towards Athletic Membership in semifinal.
Revealed On 12 Feb 2026
Actual Sociedad took management of their Copa del Rey semifinal tie with a 1-0 first-leg win at Athletic Bilbao, as Benat Turrientes struck within the second half within the Basque derby on Wednesday.
The conflict between the longtime rivals was finely balanced within the first half, however the guests have been the extra composed of the 2 sides and are effectively positioned earlier than the return leg at San Sebastian’s Anoeta on March 4.
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La Actual, unbeaten in 10 matches since Pellegrino Matarazzo took cost in mid-December, have been sharper in a energetic first half at San Mames however discovered Athletic’s second-choice goalkeeper Alex Padilla, deputising for Unai Simon within the Cup, in nice kind.
Padilla first produced a pointy save to thwart Pablo Marin’s close-range effort from a counterattack within the twenty fifth minute after which denied Jon Martin with a reflex cease after Carlos Soler’s pinpoint free kick six minutes later.
Mikel Oyarzabal went shut for the guests quickly afterwards, whereas a last-ditch sliding sort out prevented Inaki Williams from capitalising on an Athletic counterattack earlier than halftime.
Padilla continued his heroics within the second half, pulling off an excellent one-handed save inside a minute of the restart to maintain out Oyarzabal’s low strike from the sting of the field.
From the rebound, Marin struck the publish.
Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde launched Nico Williams in the fifty fifth minute, however the Spain ahead, nonetheless recovering from a persistent groin harm, struggled to offer a decisive spark.
The breakthrough lastly got here within the 62nd minute when Athletic’s defence was caught making an attempt to play out from the again.
Carlos Soler’s interception for Sociedad arrange Goncalo Guedes, whose chip over the advancing Padilla fell invitingly for Turrientes to dispatch the ball into the empty internet.
“We’re completely satisfied, however there’s nonetheless the second leg to play. It’s end result, however we must always have scored extra,” Turrientes advised Movistar Plus.
The winners of the tie face Atletico Madrid or Barcelona, who meet within the Spanish capital on Thursday, with the second leg on March 3 at Camp Nou.
