Williams Brothers Down Sociedad as Athletic Win Basque Derby 2-1

Athletic Club Claim Basque Derby Bragging Rights Over Real Sociedad

Inaki Williams crashed home the opener inside 14 minutes, Alex Berenguer smashed homea crucial penalty just before halftime, and 10-man Athletic Club rode their luck to a pulsating 2-1 Basque derby victory over Real Sociedad in La Liga’s Matchday 11. The electric San Mames erupted when Iñaki Williams latched onto younger brother Nico’s clever cutback, the elder sibling burying it first-time past Álex Remiro to send the red-and-white half of Bilbao into raptures. But Sociedad’s midfield metronome Luka Sučić silenced them with a 25-yard piledriver on the half-hour, bending one beyond Unai Simón’s despairing dive to square the match.

Penalty Drama Before the Break

The game turned just before halftime when Mamadou Sarr’s clumsy challenge on Nico Williams gifted Athletic a penalty. Berenguer stepped up, paused in his run-up, and hammered it straight down the middle as Remiro dove early – sending the hosts into the break with momentum and a 2-1 lead. Yellow cards flew after the restart, with Sociedad boss Pellegrino Matarazzo even booked for dissent as frustration boiled over. Try as they might with 62% possession, the visitors couldn’t break through Athletic’s defiant low block, their xG of just 1.42 telling the story of blunt attacking.

Real Sociedad’s Possession Proves Fruitless

Sociedad threw on Takefusa Kubo and fresh legs late, but Athletic’s backline – led by the immense Aymeric Laporte – stood firm. The home crowd roared every clearance, every tackle, rising as one when Hugo Rincón’s last-ditch block denied substitute Jon Aramburu in the 87th minute. Five added minutes brought nerves, but Bilbao held on – their 38% possession the lowest for any La Liga winner this season.

What This Means for the Basque Rivals

For Athletic Club, this derby delight moves them into the European places, their direct style under Edin Terzić delivering a fourth straight home win. As for Real Sociedad, Matarazzo’s possession-heavy approach looks increasingly ponderous – just 3 wins in 11 games leaves them languishing mid-table. The Basque bragging rights stay in Bilbao, preserved by that Williams connection and sheer defensive grit when the pressure came.

Key Moments

14′ ⚽ Athletic Club — Iñaki Williams (assist: Nico Williams)

30′ ⚽ Real Sociedad — Luka Sučić

45+2′ ⚽ Athletic Club — Alex Berenguer