BARCELONA, Oct 17: Playing a man down and without its top scorer, Real Sociedad turned to a 21-year-old reserve player to score a clutch goal that was good for a three-point lead of the Spanish league.
Substitute Julen Lobete became an instant fan favorite at an Anoeta Stadium filled to capacity for the first time in more than a year and a half when he scored a 90th-minute winner to edge Mallorca 1-0 on Saturday.
Lobete went on in the 66th minute with his team struggling to generate chances. After receiving a through ball from fellow substitute Martín Zubimendi, the young striker cut back to his right foot and struck a powerful shot that goalkeeper Manolo Reina got a hand on but couldn’t keep out.
Sociedad had barely made Reina work even before it lost left back Aihen Muñoz to a second yellow card in the final seconds of the first half. Even then, the visitors looked set to earn a hard-earned draw until Lobete struck.
It was Lobete’s second goal with Sociedad’s first team.
The victory moved Sociedad three points clear of Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, who had their games this weekend postponed to give more rest time to players returning from international duty in South America.
Levante and Getafe remained the only teams in the Liga yet to win after drawing 0-0 in a match that featured debuts for new coaches on both sides.
Quique Sánchez Flores started his third stint at Getafe after he replaced the fired Michel González.
Sánchez Flores made his first-division coaching debut with Getafe in 2004. He had a brief and unsuccessful return to the modest Madrid-based club in 2015. (AP)
