SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Real Sociedad earned a pulsating 2-1 home victory over LaLiga leaders Barcelona on Sunday, ending the Catalans' 11-match winning streak in all competitions.
The thrilling encounter in a rain-soaked San Sebastian saw Sociedad withstand relentless pressure as Barcelona struck the woodwork five times in the second half.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring with a volley in the 32nd minute, but Barca equalised with a Marcus Rashford header from close range in the 70th.
However, a minute later, Goncalo Guedes sealed the victory for the home side with another volley from inside the box.
Sociedad were reduced to 10 men in the final minutes after Carlos Soler was given a straight red card for a reckless sliding tackle on Pedri.
Despite the defeat, Hansi Flick's Barcelona remain top of the standings on 49 points, one point ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. Villarreal and Atletico Madrid trail far behind with both on 41 points.
"I think we deserved to win, we had lots of chances," Barca captain Frenkie de Jong told DAZN. "At the end of the day, you have to score with the opportunities you create. We played very well, but their keeper, (Alex) Remiro had a great game."
The match was lively from the outset, with both sides trading blows in an open and frenetic first half.
Barcelona believed they had taken the lead in the seventh minute when Fermin Lopez fired a low strike into the bottom corner, but VAR overturned the goal after ruling that Takefusa Kubo had been fouled by Dani Olmo during the build-up.
Both teams saw early goals ruled out for offside, with neither side dominating in the opening exchanges.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 32nd minute when Oyarzabal volleyed home from close range following an inch-perfect cross from Guedes.
SHARP SAVE
Barcelona pushed for an equaliser, and Olmo forced a sharp save from Remiro in the 37th minute with a venomous strike from distance.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Barcelona thought they were awarded a penalty when Igor Zubeldia appeared to trip Lamine Yamal in the box.
However, VAR ruled Yamal was offside in the build-up, leaving Barcelona frustrated heading into halftime.
The visitors returned with renewed determination in the second half. Olmo struck the post twice in quick succession, and Remiro brilliantly denied Ferran Torres from close range in the 51st minute.
Barcelona's misfortune continued as they struck the frame of the goal for the third time in the 65th minute, with Remiro once again thwarting Robert Lewandowski's header from point-blank, deflecting it just enough to keep it out before it hit the post.
The equaliser finally arrived in the 70th minute, with substitute Rashford making an instant impact. Yamal delivered a pinpoint cross, and Rashford headed home from close range to level five minutes after coming off the bench.
However, Real Sociedad struck back immediately. A quick counter-attack down the left wing culminated in Soler lifting a cross to the far post, where Guedes was waiting unmarked to rifle a stunning volley into the net and restore Sociedad's advantage.
The home side came agonisingly close to a third goal in the 75th minute, but Pau Cubarsi produced a heroic clearance, heading the ball off the line to keep Barcelona in the game.
The drama escalated when Sociedad were reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute after Soler's studs-up tackle on Pedri.
Despite the numerical advantage, Barcelona couldn't find a way through in the dying minutes, withRashford's curling corner in added time clipping the near post, marking the fifth occasion the visitors hit the woodwork in the second half.
(Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Toby Davis)
