Real Sociedad survived a relentless Elche fightback to claim a 3-2 victory in a breathless La Liga Matchday 4 encounter at the Martínez Valero. Five goals, late drama deep into the 90th minute, and a catalogue of individual brilliance made this one of the most absorbing fixtures of the weekend, with the visitors ultimately holding on to secure all three points and leave Elche, the club from Alicante in southern Spain, empty-handed.

The undisputed star of the contest was Job Ochieng, who delivered a performance that will live long in the memory. Ochieng scored once and provided two assists, directly involving himself in all three Real Sociedad goals and acting as the fulcrum of every meaningful attacking move the Basque side produced. His combination of physical presence, intelligent movement, and decisive end product proved too much for the Elche defence to contain across the 90 minutes.

Equally vital to Real Sociedad's cause was goalkeeper Unai Marrero, who produced an extraordinary eight saves to keep his side ahead. Elche created chance after chance and twice found the net, but Marrero repeatedly denied them with sharp reflexes and excellent positioning. Without his heroics between the posts, the narrative of this match could easily have swung in the home side's favour. His contribution underlined just how fine the margins were in a game that swung on moments of individual quality at both ends.

Luka Sucic also merits significant praise, earning a match rating of 8.5 for a composed and influential midfield display. The Croatian international knitted Real Sociedad's play together, providing the platform from which Ochieng and others could operate. His ability to control the tempo under pressure was critical, particularly in the closing stages when Elche threw everything forward in search of a late equaliser.

The late drama in the 90th minute ensured a nerve-shredding finale. Elche, who have been searching for consistency in La Liga, pushed hard and will feel aggrieved not to have taken at least a point from such an open game. For Real Sociedad, however, the three points represent a significant early-season boost, demonstrating the resilience and attacking quality that could define their campaign. With performers like Ochieng, Sucic, and Marrero in this form, La Real will fancy their chances as the season progresses.