Substitutions that flipped the script

Madrid’s changes were perfectly timed. Linda Caicedo arrived at halftime to stretch the pitch, then a double move on 60’ brought in Schröder and Däbritz, with Elisa Senß following at 61’. That trio shifted tempo and territory, pushing Madrid into the final third far more consistently. In total, Madrid finished with 50 final-third entries to Sociedad’s 33, a number that reflects that second-half surge. They also turned those entries into end product: 13 shots after the break, compared to Sociedad’s 3.

Sociedad used their bench too and earned a lifeline through Ava Seelenfreund’s penalty won at 82’, confirmed on review and tucked away by Fernández. But once Madrid reloaded, the visitors controlled where the game was played. Däbritz’s brace arrived on the back of quicker circulation and sharper cutbacks, while Schröder’s movement against the back line led to two late, high-value chances. Caicedo also rattled Sociedad with direct carries and two key passes in her 45 minutes. By the final whistle, the pattern was clear: Madrid’s bench not only added legs, it added goals.

What the stats say about a decisive away win

The headline numbers favor Madrid’s attack. The visitors posted 15 total shots to Sociedad’s 7 and landed 8 on target to the hosts’ 3. Expected goals leaned their way too, 1.90 vs 1.55, while expected goals on target read 3.75 vs 2.05. Madrid created five big chances and scored all five, a ruthless conversion rate that usually wins away days. They also hit the woodwork twice, hinting that the score could have been even heavier.

Territorially, Madrid made more of their possession despite having slightly less of it overall (48%). They logged 25 touches in the opponents’ box to Sociedad’s 15 and produced 70 successful final-third actions from 101 attempts. Sociedad dribbled better on the day, completing 9 of 12, and won more total duels by percentage, yet Madrid’s 39 recoveries to 28 and 4 interceptions to 2 tilted pressure back their way. Corner kicks also leaned Madrid 6-3, another sign of sustained attacking phases. Goalkeeping numbers were tough on both sides, but Julia Arrula’s goals prevented figure (-1.25) underlined the velocity of Madrid’s finishing, while Merle Frohms had a quieter second half despite conceding three after the break. Add in the fouls column (Madrid 14, Sociedad 7) and offsides (Madrid 3, Sociedad 1), and you see an away side playing on the front foot and living with the risks.

MVP spotlight: Felicia Schröder’s 30-minute takeover

Felicia Schröder needed only half an hour to swing the game, earning a 9.5 Sofascore Rating and the match’s decisive moments. She scored twice in stoppage time and at 87’, and also set up Sara Däbritz’s second with a slick layoff at 70’. All told, she produced 3 shots on target from 3 attempts, 2 goals, 1 assist and 1 key pass. She also created a big chance, won 2 of 3 duels, and claimed 1 aerial win. That is a high-impact line in 30 minutes, from just 11 touches, which is peak super-sub efficiency.

The expected numbers back the clinical display: 0.44 xG and 0.14 xA attached to her contributions, and she stayed aggressive at the shoulder of the last defender, drawing two offsides while constantly threatening depth. Beyond the raw output, her timing stood out; the header came off a classic near-post run, while the late right-footed finish was all composure. Around her, Sara Däbritz posted an 8.7 Sofascore Rating with a transformative brace and an assist, and Cecilia Marcos led Sociedad with a 9.1 thanks to an early goal and a second after halftime. Paula Fernández also had a strong 7.8 with a pressure penalty, and Lineth Beerensteyn’s opener framed her 7.5. But in a match defined by momentum, Schröder’s cameo was the lever that moved everything.

Player of the Match

By Sofascore Rating, the best player was Felicia Schröder with 9.5. Fans agreed: Felicia Schröder topped the vote with 128 of 254 total votes. In this match, both the ratings and the crowd favored the same player.