Elche 2-3 Real Sociedad: ten-man visitors survive a comeback, then win it in the 90th
Real Sociedad led 2-0, lost a man and both goals of their cushion, and still left the Martínez Valero with all three points thanks to Luka Sucic's last-minute strike.
Four matchdays into the La Liga season, Real Sociedad already have a win that will be hard to top for sheer nerve: a 3-2 victory at Elche on Monday, sealed in the 90th minute with ten men on the pitch.
How it happened
La Real were in control early. Job Ochieng opened the scoring in the 10th minute from a Carlos Soler assist, then turned provider for Yangel Herrera to make it 2-0 just after the half hour, per FOX Sports' match report.
The game swung just after the hour. According to Elche's official match page, VAR ruled out what would have been Sociedad's third — a Luka Sucic finish — for a handball by defender Jon Martín, and Martín was then sent off, leaving the visitors a man down for the final half hour.
Elche smelled blood. Thomas Lemar pulled one back in the 67th minute and Fer Niño levelled six minutes later, assisted by Tete Morente. But with the Martínez Valero expecting a winner at the other end, Ochieng produced his third direct contribution of the night, setting up Sucic — this time legally — to win it in the 90th.
What it means
For Real Sociedad, this is the kind of away win that sets a season's tone: 2-0 up, reduced to ten, pegged back to 2-2, and still ruthless enough to take all three points. Ochieng's line — a goal and two assists — made him the game's decisive figure.
For Elche, the frustration is real but so is the encouragement. Newly back in the top flight, they went toe-to-toe with an established European contender and created a comeback from nothing. The result stings; the response that produced it is what a promoted side survives on.