The Blues produced a positive first half, with sustained pressure and chances coming thick and fast. However, the breakthrough did not arrive until the second period; Ryan Kavuma-McQueen opened the scoring with a fine low strike.

We doubled our advantage soon after the hour mark as Chizaram Ezenwata nodded home to make it two. It put Chelsea firmly in control.

But the contest turned dramatically in the closing stages. Having pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to play, Sociedad pushed and eventually levelled in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Yet there was one more cruel blow as, from the restart, Sociedad recovered the ball and Arkaitz Mariezkurrena found the net.

Fierce start

The Blues had the first sight of goal when winger Kobe Barbour unleashed a venomous strike from outside the area that narrowly cleared the crossbar.

We came close again inside the opening 10 minutes as Kavuma-McQueen delivered a quick, curling ball from the opposite flank that drifted inches wide of the far post. Ezenwata arrived just too late to convert, but we were firmly on top.

The visitors’ first chance came from a free-kick taken from distance. Mariezkurrena drilled a low effort toward goal that Chelsea stopper Freddy Bernal reacted sharply to save.

Kavuma-McQueen soon had another opportunity, striking a powerful volley inside the penalty area that Sociedad keeper Theo Folgado did well to push away. The lively winger threatened again moments later, flashing a dangerous effort from a tight angle across the face of goal.

As the contest reached the 30-minute mark, we applied sustained pressure. Ezenwata tried his luck with a volley from outside the area, but his effort somehow failed to find the back of the net.

Real Sociedad’s final meaningful chance of the half came late on when Mariezkurrena swung in a looping delivery and Peru Larranaga connected from close range, only to fire wide.

Deadlock broken!

The Blues wasted no time after the restart in taking the lead. A swift counter-attack saw Ezenwata surge forward before sliding the ball into Kavuma-McQueen, who took a touch inside the penalty area and calmly slotted into the bottom corner.

We almost doubled our advantage soon after when schoolboy midfielder Reggie Watson fired a powerful effort from a tight angle toward the corner, only for a Real Sociedad defender to produce a goal-line clearance and deny him a place on the scoresheet.

The Blues did make it two soon after, though. Barbour made excellent use of the wing to beat his marker before unselfishly lifting the ball into the area, where an unmarked Ezenwata applied a simple headed finish.

Sociedad bite back

However, despite the Blues being in control, the visitors pulled a goal back. Santino Samuyiwa whipped in a low cross that Chelsea defender Dante Waite, attempting to clear, inadvertently turned into his own net.

Substitute Mathis Eboue almost restored our two-goal cushion moments later, striking a fierce effort that appeared destined for the top corner before taking a deflection and skimming just over the crossbar.

For the remainder of the contest, particularly in the closing stages, the Blues were forced into defensive action as the guests pushed for a late equaliser during nine minutes of added time, with Chelsea battling to protect our advantage.

A cruel twist

Just as it appeared the Blues were on course to claim all three points, with the game in its final moments, the Spanish side levelled. From a free-kick, Lander Uranga met the ball with a header that deflected off defender Justin Osagie, who was attempting to block, and found its way into the net.

If that setback was not frustrating enough, Real Sociedad then snatched a dramatic late winner as Mariezkurrena fired home a low strike from outside the penalty area to confirm Chelsea’s exit from European competition in the final group-stage fixture.

What's next

Chelsea Under-21s are next in action in Premier League 2 against Leicester City on Monday 26 January at the Leicester Training Ground, with kick-off at 7pm. The match will be available to watch live and free of charge on the Chelsea Official App and website.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Freddy Bernal; Lewi Richards (Riley Ebho 89), Dante Waite, Justin Osagie (c), Calvin Diakite (Jacob Hall 70); Isaac Badu, Reggie Watson, Charlie Holland (Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli 61); Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (Ibrahim Rabbaj 89), Chizaram Ezenwata, Kobe Barbour (Mathis Eboue 70)
Unused subs: Hudson Sands, Heze Grimwade
Scorers: Kavuma-McQueen 49, Ezenwata 64
Booked: Watson 33, Richards 81, Kavuma-McQueen 87

Real Sociedad: Theo Folgado, Jon Garro (Danel Lopez 82), Pello Arana (Markel Estremo 58) (Lander Uranga 73), Unax Ayo, Peru Larranaga, Joan Oleaga, Xuban Fernandez, Zac Shuaib (Manuel Ruiz h-t), Sydney Osazuwa, Arkaitz Mariezkurrena (c), Santino Samuyiwa (Hodei Garitaonaindia 82)
Unused subs: Erik Pereira, Oihan Telletxea, Markel Elcano
Scorers: Waite 69 (OG), Osagie 90+6 (OG), Mariezkurrena 90+7
Booked: Mariezkurrena 34, Folgado 90+10