Athletic Club claimed the Basque bragging rights at San Mamés on Sunday, beating Real Sociedad 2-1 in a derby decided by the Williams brothers and an Álex Berenguer penalty on the stroke of half-time.
Athletic made a flying start in front of their own supporters and almost led inside the opening minutes, Hugo Rincón's delivery picking out Berenguer, who squirmed a golden chance wide of Álex Remiro's goal. The hosts lost Maroan Sannadi to injury after just five minutes, Robert Navarro replacing him, but the setback did not slow them down.
The breakthrough came on 14 minutes and it was a family affair. Nico Williams split the Sociedad defence with a ball over the top and his brother Iñaki Williams calmly lifted his finish over the onrushing Remiro to make it 1-0, despite Mamadou Sarr's best efforts to clear. As Flashscore reported, Edin Terzić's men nearly added a second moments later when Iñaki turned provider, only for Berenguer to fail to connect inside the box.
Sučić Stunner, Then Berenguer Holds His Nerve
For all Athletic's pressure, La Real levelled on the half-hour. Luka Sučić produced a bolt from the blue, firing low beyond Unai Simón to silence San Mamés, and the visitors briefly threatened to take control — Ander Barrenetxea volleyed at Simón before the goalkeeper denied Mikel Oyarzabal.
But Athletic restored their lead in first-half added time. Nico Williams was brought down in the box by Jon Aramburu, and Berenguer stepped up to squeeze his penalty underneath Remiro's body for 2-1 — a moment also detailed by Tribal Football in its derby report.
The second half was a test of Athletic's nerve. Iñaki Williams sent an acrobatic effort wide and Sučić blazed over as both sides traded chances, while Simón had to be alert to push away a Carlos Soler attempt with around 20 minutes remaining. Soler then blazed over after being picked out by Orri Óskarsson, and late substitute Takefusa Kubo could not find the target either as La Real's pressure came to nothing. Nico Williams, named man of the match, was withdrawn in stoppage time to a standing ovation, replaced by Oihan Sancet.
So What: A Third Straight Win and a Statement at San Mamés
This was Athletic's third successive victory in all competitions, and derby wins carry a weight beyond the three points. The Williams brothers were the story of the night — one assist, one goal and a won penalty between them — and when Nico plays with this freedom, Athletic look a match for anyone in La Liga. The result also keeps the momentum rolling on a day when Real Madrid won at Racing and Valencia edged Elche, tightening the picture in the top half.
For Sociedad, the defeat will sting precisely because they were in the game: Sučić's equaliser gave them a platform, but the penalty moments before half-time flipped the momentum for good, and their late push lacked a finish. Turning San Mamés pressure into points remains their problem in this fixture.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Derbies are not won on systems, they are won on moments — and Athletic had the two best players on the pitch producing them. Nico Williams tormented La Real all evening, Iñaki finished like a senior pro should, and Berenguer's penalty was the coolest kick of the night. If the brothers stay fit and in this form, Athletic's season has a very high ceiling.
Who was your man of the match in the Basque derby — Nico Williams, or did Sučić's stunner deserve more? Let us know in the comments.
