Leuven’s Den Dreef, standing in for Union Saint-Gilloise’s Brussels home, saw an urgent and physical opening to the Europa League evening as the Belgian side repeatedly unsettled Real Sociedad during the first half-hour. The score remained 0-0 after 30 minutes, but Union had created the clearer early opportunities while the visitors searched for control.
Union set the early rhythm in Leuven
- Real Sociedad began the second Europa League league-phase matchday needing a response after their 2-1 opening defeat to Bournemouth. Union arrived with confidence from a 3-0 win away to Viktoria Plzen, seeking a second continental victory after playing Champions League football last season.
- Union Saint-Gilloise were forced to stage the match at the roughly 10,000-capacity Den Dreef, also known as King Power at Den Dreef, because their Stade Joseph Mariën does not meet UEFA requirements for European fixtures.
- Pellegrino Matarazzo’s Real Sociedad took the first possession, but Union made the sharper start. Zubeldia caught Mofokeng late in the third minute and was spoken to by referee Goga Kikacheishvili without receiving a card.
- The home side began finding room quickly. In the 12th minute, Sylla had a major chance from close range but directed his finish narrowly past the post.
- Union continued to push forward through the opening quarter-hour, repeatedly creating danger once they crossed midfield. Ochieng later conceded a foul after a forceful challenge.
- Real Sociedad’s first notable attempt came in the 21st minute, when Zubeldia struck from the edge of the area but sent his effort wide.
- By the half-hour mark, the visitors had kept the match level, though Union remained the side applying the more sustained pressure.
Risk and necessity for Matarazzo’s side
Matarazzo had framed the trip to Belgium as a test of his side’s willingness to attack. “We need to accept some risk if we want to score goals,” he said before the match, acknowledging that committing players forward can expose space behind the defence.
The American coach also described Union as physical, direct and quick, stressing that Real Sociedad would need to dictate the tempo and adjust immediately to a type of opponent less familiar from their domestic schedule.
Real Sociedad came into the European away day on the back of two league victories, most recently a 3-2 result against Deportivo, which had lifted them to sixth in LaLiga on 13 points. Their stated objective in Europe is a place in the top eight of the league phase.
Mikel Oyarzabal entered the fixture still awaiting his first goal of the season, while Sucic was Real Sociedad’s leading scorer with three. Georgian referee Kikacheishvili took charge, with England’s Darren England assigned to VAR duties.
Teams and absences
| Union Saint-Gilloise | Real Sociedad |
|---|---|
| Koffi; Chibani, Sylla, Havenaar, Guilherme; Patris, Van de Perre, Zeneli, Olaru; Mofokeng, Biondic | Marrero; Gorrotxa, Zubeldia, Martin, Oyarzabal, Guedes, Ochieng, Gómez, Sarr, Herrera, Sucic |
| Substitutes: Denzel De Roeve, Dylan Aquino, Daniel Tshilanda, Vic Chambaere, Youssef Hamoutahar, Sekou Keita, Giorgi Kavlashvili | Substitutes: Álex Remiro, Aihen Muñoz, Héctor Fort, Jon Pacheco, Beñat Turrientes, Pablo Marín, Carlos Soler, Arsen Zakharyan, Take Kubo, Ander Barrenetxea, Orri Óskarsson, Álex Marchal |
Union coach David Hubert was without suspended pair Raul Florucz and Adem Zorgane, as well as injured Kevin Mac Allister, Ross Sykes and Kevin Rodríguez. Matarazzo could not call on Jon Mikel Aramburu, Álvaro Odriozola or Luken Beitia because of fitness problems.
There was better news for the Spanish visitors in the availability of Orri Óskarsson and Álex Marchal, both back in the group after missing the league match against Deportivo.
