The two basic premises with which the Mirandés went to the Reale Arena were fulfilled: they left San Sebastián alive and did so scoring a goal. They lost, yes, and therefore the Real Sociedad is the team that is closest to the final of the Copa del Rey right now, but Andoni Iraola's team won, with total merit, the right to prolong their dream. And for everything to be resolved in Anduva, where Celta, Sevilla and Villarreal have already succumbed this year.

The best that can be said of Mirandés is that the difference in category was not noticed at all before an opponent who seven days earlier had shaken Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. Only the highest quality of the San Sebastian attackers - from Odegaard, more specifically - chose the balance in favor of a Real who never found comfort to develop his football. And that, more than demerit of the Sheriff's, was the result of the enormous work done by his rival.

Because the Mirandés doesn't cheat. He appeared at the Reale Arena with the courage announced, pressing his opponent very high to prevent him from pulling the ball comfortably. He even aimed the first time of the night, a good shot of Merquelanz repelled by Remiro, but the slope was going to steep immediately. At eight minutes, Odei committed an unnecessary penalty on Portu that the referee pointed to the first and Oyarzabal transformed with the usual serenity and precision in the first goal of the tie.

Omnipresent Malsa

Iraola's team was at serious risk of collapsing after such an early blow, but it did not at all. Tactically very disciplined, the Mirandés maintained order, avoided Odegaard's participation thanks to Malsa's sticky marking and forced Isak to move away from the area, where it is much less harmful. Intense and concentrated, the Burgos team only lacked a bit more precision with the ball to take advantage of the imbalance generated by Merquelanz on the left wing and, to a lesser extent, Álvaro Rey on the right.

In the end, the Mirandés deserved to score a goal in the first half and achieved six minutes from the break. A recovery of the omnipresent Malsa ended up in the feet of Matheus, who armed a shot that ended in the goal after hitting Monreal on the road. The joy watching, however, was going to be ephemeral.

Odegaard finally managed, in an isolated play, to find space to develop his football and from a driving towards the area he ended up marking the second of the Real after two consecutive stops of Limones. Two defensive failures made the Mirandés in the first half and two goals conceded.

Gasoline for the end

Portu and Antonio Sánchez encouraged the return of costumes with two good occasions each. The Royal began to look for simpler and safer passes, while the Mirandés increasingly selected their efforts, aware that their luck depended on the gasoline they reserved for the final leg of the duel.

Gradually, Iraola's team began to think more about what they already had and less about what they could win. It was logical to minimize risks, while Real tried unsuccessfully to achieve a higher income for the return meeting in Anduva. He did it until the last play, in which Limones shone again to remind Real that if he wants to play the final, he will have to win it.

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