Aston Villa U21 beat Real Sociedad B 5-1 in the International Premier League Cup group stage on Monday. The result overturned our prediction, which had backed the visitors with 88 per cent confidence — but the match went another way entirely.
Telletxea gave Real Sociedad the lead at the second minute, and here's the thing: Villa didn't panic. Meade equalised at eight, then Ropero turned it on himself with an own goal at thirty-eight. That shifted the momentum before the half.
Blake came on and turned it around after the break. He scored at sixty-nine and seventy-two, then converted a penalty at eighty-three after Uranga's red card. By then the game was over.
Sociedad controlled the ball with fifty-three per cent possession and registered more attacks, but Villa made their chances count. The hosts had forty-seven per cent possession, fewer corners, and one red card less to deal with.
The result puts Villa ahead in the group standings. Sociedad's run of results — three wins and two draws in their last five — didn't translate here, and the gap in the table will reflect that.