Real Sociedad ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over Alset Columbia in the Premier Section at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Tuesday evening, striker Juan Pablo Garces helping himself to a hat trick in the process.
The boys from the Basque country controlled the game from start to finish without giving their South American counterparts even a mere sniff at goal. But for some wasteful finishing the final score could have been much more one sided.
The opener came with 19 minutes on the clock; Juan Pablo Garces opened his account for the evening with a well taken finish after a precise cross from the right hand side. The Spaniards were awarded a penalty barely a minute later when Anatz Elizondo was fouled in the box, but despite quickly getting back to his feet to take the spot kick himself, he was unable to find a way past Miguel Santiago Alarcon Castillo who produced a fine save to force the ball out for a corner.
Benat Eizagiree should have scored on 33 minutes but shot straight at the Columbian goalkeeper when well placed in the box, a sign of things to come for the big striker who missed two further great chances in the second half. Sociedad added two quick fire goals just before the interval to effectively kill the game off as a contest. First, Juan Pablo Garces scored with a powerful drive into the bottom corner before a minute later bending a superb effort from the back post into the net to impressed applause from all gathered in the stands.
The second half proved to be further one way traffic, first Benat Eizagiree missed what was effectively an open goal from three yards before team mate Jokin Gabilondo went close with a curling effort from just outside the box. As the game neared its conclusion, Jorge Losa struck the crossbar with a fiercely struck piledriver before Benat Eizagiree saved his best (or worst) for last by blasting over when clean through on goal. This capped what must have been a frustrating night for the striker, who should be encouraged at the positions he took up in front of goal to set up such opportunities, if he brings his shooting boots tomorrow then he could prove a real handful for any defence.
A comfortable 3-0 victory in the end for Real Sociedad, who will be left wondering how they didn’t win by a much greater margin.
Match Report by Jordan Miler.