Athletic started with more initiative and found the opening goal in the 26th minute of the first half when Umar Sadiq, in an attempt to clear a cross, ended up sending the ball into his own net, putting the visitors 1-0 up. Valencia reacted quickly and gained ground as the minutes went by. In the 29th minute of the first half, Toni Martínez effectively converted a penalty awarded for a foul in the area to make it 2-1, a score with which both teams went to halftime. In the second half, Real Sociedad pushed forward and took the lead in search of a comeback. The home team equalized in the 35th minute of the first half when Umar Sadiq redeemed his previous error and, after a good collective play, finished precisely in the area to make it 1-1 before the break. In the second half, the game became more balanced and contested. Valencia tried to take advantage of the home advantage, while Athletic opted for patience and to hurt with rapid transitions. When the match seemed to be heading to extra time, the climax arrived. Real Sociedad's response was not long in coming, and in the 15th minute of the first half, Mikel Oyarzabal appeared in the area to push the ball and equalize 1-1. With the balanced play, Alavés struck again before halftime. In second-half stoppage time, in the 51st minute of the second half, Iñaki Williams appeared in the area to connect a loose ball and score the definitive 2-1, unleashing the visiting celebration and silence at Mestalla. With this agonizing victory, Athletic Club won a very even match, eliminated Valencia, and secured their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals. In the final stretch, Alavés tried to react with more drive than clarity, but Real Sociedad defended with order and maintained the advantage. With this victory, Real Sociedad achieved a valuable away qualification and reached the best of the tournament, leaving behind an Alavés that fought until the end. Meanwhile, Athletic Club defeated Valencia C.F. 2-1 at the Mestalla stadium and secured qualification to the next round with an agonizing goal in stoppage time. The goals in the match were scored by Nigerian Umar Sadiq for the home team, while for Athletic, the Nigerian Umar Sadiq (own goal) and the Spanish Iñaki Williams scored. The match was intense and full of situations. Buenos Aires, February 4 (NA) -- Real Sociedad defeated Alavés 3-2 at the Mendizorroza stadium in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, and secured passage to the next round after an intense and changing match. The goals for the home team were scored by the Spanish Abde Rebbach and the Spanish Toni Martínez, while for the visiting team, the Spanish Mikel Oyarzabal, the Portuguese Gonçalo Guedes, and the Icelandic Orri Óskarsson scored, as learned by the Argentine News Agency. The match began at a high pace with an Alavés determined to set the tone from the start. Territorial dominance increased, and the reward came in the 31st minute of the second half when Gonçalo Guedes took a precise shot from distance to score 2-2 and reignite the visitors' hopes. The final blow came a few minutes later. In the 8th minute of the first half, Abde Rebbach took advantage of a down the left flank and finished precisely to open the score and ignite the local crowd. In the 35th minute of the second half, Orri Óskarsson capitalized on a quick attacking play and finished decisively to seal the definitive 3-2. Both teams prioritized defensive order, and the match entered a plateau with few clear chances and a lot of midfield battle.
