Sociedad climbs above Mallorca with win

Real Sociedad climbed above Real Mallorca in the Primera Division standings as Imanol Agirretxe's late winner earned a 1-0 victory for the hosts at the Anoeta.

Agirretxe lashed into the top-left corner in the 79th minute to settle the match in Sociedad's favour, lifting the hosts to 13th in the table - two points ahead of their visitors.

Mallorca boosted their survival hopes by thrashing Villarreal 4-0 last weekend, but they were on the back foot in the early stages in San Sebastian.

Agirretxe and David Zurutuza both fired over the bar for Sociedad before Mallorca had chances of their own through Tomer Hemed, Victor and Fernando Tissone but all were off target.

Home goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was not tested until just after the half-hour mark, when he was called upon to tip a Michael Pereira header around the post.

That was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in the first half, and the game continued in the same vein after the interval with both teams finding clear-cut chances difficult to come by.

Antoine Griezmann hit a right-footed shot wide from long range at the start of the second half and then Alejandro Alfaro drove over the bar for Mallorca.

Sociedad were beginning to get a foothold in the game, and continued to press forward in search of the opener. Agirretxe headed wide from a central position and then sent in a shot from the edge of the box which also flew wide.

The 24-year-old former Spain youth international did get his name on the scoresheet 11 minutes from time, though, directing his left-footed shot into the top-left corner following good play on the left by Carlos Vela.

Victor passed up Mallorca's best chance at equalising five minutes later when he fired over from 12 yards, and Sociedad held on for the three points.