Umar Sadiq featured for Deportivo Alavés as they secured a narrow 1–0 win over Real Sociedad in Saturday’s La Liga clash. The match’s decisive moment came just before half-time when Lucas Boyé converted a penalty in stoppage time to give Alavés the lead.
Sadiq making his fifth league appearance of the season was replaced in the 56th minute by Ander Barrenetxea. He is yet to open his La Liga scoring account this season. With the win, Alavés climb to 9th place on 18 points, while Real Sociedad drop to 12th on 16 points.
Editorial
There is a subtle melancholy in watching a striker of Umar Sadiq’s calibre step onto the pitch and still search for his first league goal. This Saturday, in the narrow confines of Mendizorroza, Alavés eked out a vital victory thanks to a Boyé penalty but for Sadiq the game was a reminder of how fine the margins remain in top-level football.
Despite his reputation and physical attributes, Sadiq’s output this season has been muted five appearances and no goal. In a club like Alavés, where resources and hopes are tightly calibrated, what he now needs is not just minutes, but momentum. The penalty that sealed the win was not his, but the relief was collective. Still, a forward is judged not by presence, but by production.
Yet to count for himself doesn’t yet diminish what he offers movement, readiness, work rate. On another night another pass, another bounce, another inspired intervention that energy may well convert into goals. In La Liga, that is often the difference between respect and redemption.
For Sadiq, this season has become a trial of patience and belief. He must learn that sometimes the most significant work is done while the result hangs in the balance when the ball is passed, the lines shift, and the goalkeeper moves first.
If he persists with intelligence and composure, even nights like this one when victory is earned but personal returns are absent can lay the foundation for a breakthrough. Because in football, as in life readiness matters. And Sadiq’s moment may yet come.
Did You Know?
- Although he appeared in five La Liga games this season for Alavés, Sadiq is still waiting for his first league goal since joining a dry spell stretching several months.
- The winning goal by Lucas Boyé came from a late first-half penalty the sort of fine margin often decisive in tightly-fought La Liga matches.
- Alavés’ victory over Real Sociedad marks a third consecutive win over them a trend that underlines how certain match-ups in La Liga yield repeating patterns regardless of form.
- Real Sociedad dominated possession during the match (over 50 %) but failed to register any shot on target in the second half highlighting problems converting dominance into clear chances.
- This result lifts Alavés to 9th in the 2025-26 La Liga standings a comfortable mid-table position for a side often fighting lower-half battles.
