Match Centre

Bournemouth's 2-1 victory was deserved on the balance of play, with the Cherries converting their two big chances early through Justin Kluivert (11') and Rayan Rocha (20'), while Real Sociedad struggled to turn their dominance into clear-cut opportunities. Despite having 54% possession and creating 16 total shots (10 outside the box, 6 inside), Sociedad lacked precision, registering just 5 on target. Bournemouth, by contrast, were ruthlessly efficient with 3 shots on target from 11 attempts.

The key difference lay in the first half, where Bournemouth exploited Sociedad's high line and defensive errors. Kluivert's opener, assisted by Adrien Truffert, came after a quick transition, while Rocha's goal followed a precise pass from Alex Scott. Sociedad's lone reply from Sergio Gómez (57') came too late to mount a sustained comeback, despite their 10 corners and higher possession. Bournemouth's defensive discipline, highlighted by 13 fouls and 3 yellow cards, ensured they held on.

The decisive stat: Bournemouth's 66.7% shot accuracy (3/11 on target) compared to Sociedad's 31.3% (5/16) underscores their clinical edge in a tightly-contested encounter.