Staff Reporter.
Real Madrid produced a convincing performance to beat Real Sociedad 2-0 and extend their lead at the top of La Liga to eight points.
The impressive Vinicius Jr opened the scoring for the visitors, combining well with Luka Jovic inside the area before finding the bottom corner.
Jovic, who replaced the injured Karim Benzema in the first half, then scored his first goal of the season, heading in from close range following a corner.
“Karim had a problem in the first half, he felt a bit of discomfort, he didn’t want to force it,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We’ll see in the next few days, I don’t think he’ll be available for Tuesday’s game [vs. Inter Milan] but he could be for Sunday [vs. Atletico Madrid].”
The hosts created little in response.
Alexander Isak flicked on a well-weighted delivery from Diego Rico in the first half, but Eder Militao recovered well to block the Sociedad forward’s effort.
Militao, who looked solid in the centre of Madrid’s defence, sent Vinicius through with a clever pass late on, but the frontman was denied by the feet of keeper Alex Remiro.
Madrid’s eighth consecutive win proved even more valuable after both Atletico and Barcelona lost, with Atleti undone by Mallorca and Barca succumbing to the impressive Real Betis for their first defeat under Xavi Hernandez.
That saw Atletico slip back to fourth on 29 points, with Sevilla now Real’s closest challengers on 31 points and with a game in hand on the leaders.
It was a second successive defeat for Real Sociedad after going 13 unbeaten in the top flight, meaning they sit fifth, level on points with Atletico having played a game more.
“We made a complete game,” Ancelotti said. “Ball control, defence, between lines, the positional game… What I like the most is that this team knows how to defend. I never doubted the men up front but the commitment shown in defence is very good.