Eibar deny Sociedad at death amid red-card furore

Madrid (AFP) – Real Sociedad missed the chance to leapfrog Atletico Madrid into fourth in La Liga as Pedro Leon’s 93rd-minute equaliser snatched a 2-2 draw for Eibar in a controversial Basque derby on Tuesday.

Juanmi’s header opened the scoring for Sociedad, but he was booked for showing a t-shirt honouring Pablo Raez.

Raez, who like Juanmi is from Malaga, recently died at the age of just 20 from leukaemia and was famous for his fundraising campaigns via social media.

Gonzalo Escalante headed Eibar level before half time before referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco took centre stage early in the second half.

Firstly he harshly sent off Eibar’s Florian Lejeune for two bookable offences.

And Juanmi’s first booking came back to haunt him as he was also dismissed shortly after for a second yellow card.

Eibar coach Jose Luis Mendilibar was also sent to the stands after Carlos Vela converted a soft penalty to put Sociedad back in front.

However, Eibar maintained their own push for European qualification when Leon’s low drive squeezed under Geronimo Rulli with the last kick of the game to move them level with sixth-placed Villarreal on 39 points.

Sociedad are tied with Atletico on 45 points but Diego Simeone’s men have a game in hand, away to Deportivo la Coruna on Thursday.