Real Sociedad outclass Benfica 3-1 to edge closer to last 16

Updated: Nov 8, 2023, 09:25 pm

Real Sociedad edged closer to a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League with a comfortable 3-1 win over Benfica in Group D on Wednesday, which ended the Portuguese side's faint hopes of reaching the last 16.

Mikel Merino, Mikel Oyarzabal and Ander Barrenetxea scored for Sociedad in the first 21 minutes of the game.

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It was Sociedad's third consecutive Champions League win but their first at home in 20 years as they provisionally took top spot in Group D on 10 points with two games remaining.

In the second half, Rafa Silva netted Benfica's first goal in the competition after three previous defeats in the group, but it proved nothing more than a consolation.

Real Sociedad's first half blitz included two disallowed goals on top of the three that counted.
Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images

Inter Milan are second on seven points, four clear of RB Salzburg in third. Real Sociedad and Inter will qualify for the last 16 should Inter beat the Austrian team later on Wednesday.

"Our people are showing a lot of support, they are enjoying our play and we are giving everything for our fans," Merino told Movistar Plus.

"We went into the break at 3-0 and with a very good feeling, but we should have won by a bigger margin. Their goal could have caused us doubts but I think we knew how to control them."

The match was stopped briefly halfway through the second half after flares were thrown by Benfica supporters.

Earlier on Wednesday, three fans were arrested after violent clashes between supporters of both teams, the Basque Country police confirmed.