A 6–0 Score Can Tell You Less Than You Think
Real Sociedad scored six against Lillestrøm, with Mikel Oyarzabal supplying three assists in just eight first-half minutes. Two went to Sergio Gómez; the third released Luka Sučić.
It looked like the sort of European night that announces a team has finally found its attacking rhythm. And after Oyarzabal scored twice in a 5–2 win at Málaga four days earlier, the optimism is understandable.
There is an even more useful story underneath the eleven goals.
Against Málaga, Oyarzabal twice scored shortly after the hosts had reduced the deficit. He wasn’t merely adding goals to an already settled contest; his finishes helped prevent a comeback from gathering momentum. One came after Takefusa Kubo found him in the area, the other after Sociedad recovered possession and he shot from distance.
Against Lillestrøm, he was doing something different. His first pass found Gómez to finish across goal. His second, a pullback near the byline, reached Gómez in space. His third came after a recovered clearance, giving Sučić the chance to score.
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Different roles, and several players able to finish the move. That’s useful football.
The caution comes from the rest of the match. Lillestrøm had a penalty saved by Unai Marrero and hit the crossbar. FotMob estimated the sides’ expected goals at 2.44 for Sociedad and 2.25 for the hosts. Six goals separated them on the scoreboard, but the quality of chances was much closer.
Sociedad’s 5–2 win also illustrates unusually sharp finishing: Sofascore recorded 2.41 xG for Sociedad against Málaga. These figures come from different providers, so they should be read separately, not combined into a supposed two-match xG total.
Matarazzo’s team deserve credit for taking the chances. They do not need an invented tactical revolution to make the results impressive.
Sociedad had threatened Bournemouth in September’s second half despite losing 2–1. They had pressed Union SG into a goal in October, only to concede a late equaliser. The latest performances suggest that promising moments have been turning into goals much more readily.
Levante and Lyon now offer a different challenge. Can Oyarzabal keep finding Gómez and the other runners when defenders stay compact and the score is level?
That’s the kind of progress worth tracking after the celebrations end.
The full match sequences and comparisons with Bournemouth and Union SG are in our original report:
https://matchiqfootball.com/2026/10/23/oyarzabal-real-sociedad-two-goals-three-assists-2026/?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=oyarzabal-sociedad-2plus3-20261023&utm_content=en
