Atl. Madrid 2 - 2 Real Sociedad: Sociedad stay top despite Suárez brace

A Luis Suárez brace ensured Atlético Madrid recovered from two goals down to share the spoils in a 2-2 draw against Real Sociedad, who stay top of La Liga and extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.

Real Sociedad broke the deadlock at the end of a swift and devastating breakthrough Alexander Sørloth, who clinically dispatched a close-range shot past Jan Oblak after being superbly teed up by Alexander Isak. It was the Norwegian’s first Sociedad goal since joining the club on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig in the summer, as the visitors took the lead with just seven minutes played. 

Sørloth was in the mood to cause mayhem in the opening stages and made a surging run towards the Atlético defence, but hesitated in his final pass to Isak, and Oblak made a comfortable save against the Swede’s shot. The hosts were struggling to gain a foothold in the contest, as Antoine Griezmann’s effort was blocked following Thomas Lemar’s initial ball into the box.

'La Real’ doubled their advantage just three minutes into the second half, when Isak curled a fine free-kick into the bottom left-hand corner from little more than 25-yards out for his first goal of the season. The goal meant Isak became the first player to score and register an assist away against Atlético at the Wanda Metropolitano since Cristiano Ronaldo in April 2012. 

Atleti needed a response, and they got just that when Suárez halved the deficit shortly before the hour mark with a superb header from João Félix’s cross for his fifth league goal of the season. The Uruguayan took centre stage once again after going down in the box under a challenge from Mikel Merino and VAR advised Jose Luis Munuera Montero to view the pitchside monitor. The former Liverpool and Barcelona man sent  Álex Remiro the wrong way to level the scores and net his seventh career goal against Sociedad.

'Los Txuri-Urdin’ will be left to rue surrendering a two-goal lead, but take solace from maintaining the position as league leaders and for scoring more than once in a game for the first time in six matches across all competitions. As for Atlético, the result continues their unbeaten home record and moves them up into fourth.