The excitement is intensifying in the Copa del Rey. Real Sociedad booked their place in the quarter finals after eliminating Villarreal this evening. The big step which the team took last week in Anoeta was ratified today at the Estadio de la Cerámica, where the blanquiazules defended their advantage well against a quality opponent. Mikel Oyarzabal’s goal on the quarter hour disarmed the Castellonenses, who levelled just before half-time.
 

This Real Sociedad side showed that they were not prepared to speculate with the result obtained in the first leg. They were not coyed by the home team’s strong start, and following a counter attack, Oyarzabal beat Asenjo with an angled strike. Fran Escribá’s team stepped up a gear and generated danger, but the Guipuzcoanos responded with intelligence and remained completely focused. They were caught just once – from a rebound after a direct free-kick in the final move of the first half, which made it 1-1 on the night.

Now needing to score two goals to level the tie, Villarreal intensified their game after the break. But they struggled to penetrate the Txuri-urdin rearguard. Not that Real Sociedad closed up shop, conscious that doing so would be a mistake against the tremendous quality of their hosts. They wanted to put the game to bed, and spent the final part of the match casually playing the ball about among themselves. The team show the kind of maturity which this tie required. And took another gigantic step – one towards the quarter finals, and our next rivals.

- Match stats:

Villarreal CF: S. Asenjo, Rukavina, Álvaro, Víctor Ruiz, J. Costa, Bruno, Rodrigo, S. Castillejo (J. Dos Santos, min. 69), Soriano (M. Trigueros, min. 78), Santos B. (Pato, min. 61, Sansone.

Real Sociedad: Rulli, J. Zaldua, Aritz, I. Martínez, Yuri B., Illarra, Canales (Granero, min. 71), X. Prieto, Zurutuza (Gaztañaga, min. 83), Oyarzabal, Willian J. (Juanmi, min. 46).

Goals: 0-1: Oyarzabal, min. 15; 1-1: Sansone, min. 45.

Referee: Fernández Borbalán. Booked S. Castillejo, Santos B. and Víctor Ruiz (Villarreal) and Willian J., Juanmi, Illarra and Gaztañaga (Real Sociedad). Sansone was issued a direct red card on 89 minutes.

- Match report by realsociedad.com