Union Saint-Gilloise fought back to earn a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in their UEFA Europa League encounter in Heverlee on Thursday, with substitute Sekou Keita scoring a late equaliser.
Real Sociedad looked set to claim all three points after Beñat Turrientes gave the Spanish side the lead shortly after half-time.
However, Keita struck in the closing stages to reward USG’s persistent attacking efforts.
The hosts started brightly and created several opportunities in the first half, registering eight shots compared to Real Sociedad’s two.
Their best chance came when an effort struck the woodwork, but neither side managed to find the breakthrough before the interval.
Real Sociedad took the lead just a minute into the second half when Turrientes, introduced at the break, finished with his right foot to put the visitors ahead in the 46th minute.
The goal forced USG to increase the pressure as they searched for a response.
Despite enjoying spells of possession and creating opportunities, the Belgian side initially struggled to find a way past Real Sociedad’s organised defence.
USG manager David Hubert made several substitutions in an attempt to change the course of the match, and one of those decisions proved decisive.
Keita entered the game in the 84th minute and drew USG level four minutes later, finishing from a set-piece situation to make it 1-1 in the 88th minute.
Real Sociedad attempted to protect their advantage before the equaliser and made a late substitution in search of a response, but neither side could find a winner during the remaining minutes.
The draw reflected USG’s attacking dominance, as the hosts registered 16 shots against Real Sociedad’s five.
They also recorded five shots on target, compared with just one from the visitors.
USG accumulated an expected goals figure of 2.01, significantly higher than Real Sociedad’s 0.59, underlining the number and quality of opportunities created by the Belgian side.
The hosts also had four corners and won 59 per cent of the duels contested, while Real Sociedad enjoyed 56 per cent possession and completed more passes.
Despite being outplayed in several attacking metrics, Real Sociedad remained competitive largely because of goalkeeper Unai Marrero’s impressive performance.
Marrero made four saves, including three from efforts inside the penalty area, helping his side withstand sustained pressure from the hosts.
His interventions proved particularly important as USG pushed for an equaliser and continued searching for a winning goal.
Real Sociedad’s defensive players were also heavily involved, recording 30 clearances as they attempted to keep the home side at bay.
For USG, Relebohile Mofokeng was influential in attack, producing three key passes, while Besfort Zeneli also contributed three key passes as the hosts repeatedly threatened the visitors’ defence.
Defender Massire Sylla recorded 13 clearances, while Nikki Havenaar made six successful tackles from six attempts.
Turrientes, meanwhile, was Real Sociedad’s standout attacking player, scoring the opening goal to put his side in a strong position before Keita’s late intervention.
The result leaves both teams sharing the points after a contest in which Real Sociedad’s defensive resilience was tested by USG’s sustained attacking pressure.
Although the visitors came close to securing victory, Keita’s late goal ensured the Belgian side were rewarded for their efforts.
