Aston Villa lost 2-4 to Real Sociedad in their third pre-season friendly at Bescot Stadium. George Hemmings opened the scoring in the 14th minute and Brian Madjo equalized at halftime, but Villa's defense lacked consistency in the crucial final stages.
The match provided positive signs from the young attacking players, but also presented a clear challenge for coach Unai Emery: the ability to organize the defense, especially when the opponent counter-attacks or exploits second-ball situations.
Hemmings opened the scoring from a wing-back.
Emery experimented extensively right from the starting lineup. New signing Joao Gomes, who joined Aston Villa from Wolves for £38 million, started in midfield alongside Ross Barkley. Up front, George Hemmings, Emi Buendia, Bradley Burrowes, and Brian Madjo formed a dynamic group of four players.
Real Sociedad started at a high tempo, forcing captain Tyrone Mings to constantly intervene in their attacks. Aston Villa then regained better control thanks to attacks from the flanks, where Ian Maatsen frequently pushed forward.
The opening goal came in the 14th minute and perfectly reflected that attacking style. Maatsen delivered a cross into the penalty area for Hemmings to curl the ball against the far post before finding the back of the net, leaving goalkeeper Alex Remiro with no chance.
However, the 1-0 advantage didn't last long. Carlos Soler's close-range shot was blocked by Marco Bizot, but he was quick to pounce on the rebound to equalize 1-1 in the 22nd minute. The two teams went into halftime level.
Personnel changes did not prevent Sociedad from accelerating.
The second half saw a series of changes for Aston Villa, including the return of Pau Torres. But before their defensive structure could stabilize, Emery's team conceded in the 54th minute. From Ander Barrenetxea's free kick, the chaos in the penalty area created an opportunity for Orri Oskarsson to put Real Sociedad ahead 2-1.
Villa reacted almost immediately. In the 56th minute, Madjo scored the equalizer, making it 2-2 and marking his third goal in the last two friendly matches. In a squad expanding its options for the new season, Madjo's performance was a notable highlight.
However, the period after the equalizer revealed the biggest difference between the two teams in this match. Real Sociedad effectively exploited the gaps behind Villa's defense. In the 66th minute, Gorka Carrera broke through from a through ball and finished past James Wright to restore the advantage for the La Liga side.
The two late goals conceded were a warning sign for Aston Villa.
Aston Villa continued to push forward, but fatigue led to more and more gaps appearing in their defense. In the 88th minute, James Wright mishandled Job Ochieng's cross, allowing Inaki Ruperez to tap the ball in from close range, sealing a 4-2 victory.
| Team | Goal scorer |
|---|---|
| Aston Villa | George Hemmings in the 14th minute, Brian Madjo in the 56th minute. |
| Real Sociedad | Carlos Soler in the 22nd minute, Orri Oskarsson in the 54th minute, Gorka Carrera in the 66th minute, and Inaki Ruperez in the 88th minute. |
The result wasn't favorable, but the match against Real Sociedad provided Emery with firsthand data on personnel options and the team's counter-attacking capabilities. Aston Villa will travel to Asia for their summer tour, with their next match against the Indonesia All Stars at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on August 2nd.