Real Sociedad Stun Barcelona Women 2-1 and End a 45-Game Unbeaten Run

Barcelona's women suffered their first defeat in 350 days on Sunday, losing 2-1 to Real Sociedad at Zubieta in Liga F after taking the lead inside the first minute.

The result ended Barcelona's 45-game unbeaten run. Their previous defeat was also against Real Sociedad, a 1-0 loss last November, Reuters reported. Few teams trouble Barcelona at all. The same opponents have now beaten them twice in a row, once to end one long run and once to end another.

Ahead in a minute, behind by halftime

Patri Guijarro put Barcelona ahead inside the opening minute, and the champions looked set for a seventh straight league win. Real Sociedad answered fast instead of sitting back. Cecilia Marcos equalised in the 13th minute, bringing the home crowd into the match and the contest level.

Sociedad kept competing for every ball, and they were rewarded just before the break. Ainhoa Marin scored in the first minute of first-half stoppage time to complete the turnaround, according to Interia Sport. Barcelona had led after a minute and trailed at halftime, 2-1, and both Sociedad goals had come in a first half they were supposed to spend defending.

Sociedad hold on under pressure

Barcelona took the initiative after the sides changed ends and pushed Sociedad back for long spells. The equaliser never came. The visitors had eight shots, two of them on target, and still could not score a second goal, Interia Sport reported. The second half finished scoreless, and Sportradar's match record confirms the 2-1 final score, with both teams' goals coming before the break.

Real Sociedad held on for only their second victory of the season. The win lifted them to 11th place on eight points, Reuters reported, and it will rank among the best results in the club's recent history, a home win over a side that almost never loses.

Still top, but the run is over

Barcelona lost only once last season, when they swept the Champions League, Liga F, the Copa de la Reina and the Spanish Super Cup, Reuters reported. Sunday's defeat was their first of this campaign, and it ended a perfect start of six wins from six league matches.

They remain top of Liga F with 18 points, two ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who beat Espanyol 3-1 on Saturday. The lead is now small enough that one more slip would cost them first place. In the next round Barcelona host Granada, and Real Sociedad play at home again, against Espanyol, Interia Sport reported.