Real Sociedad earned a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Elche at Reale Arena, with Mikel Oyarzabal's influence proving pivotal for the home side.
Real Sociedad cemented their strong league form on Saturday, February 7, 2026, by comfortably defeating Elche 3-1 in a vibrant La Liga clash. The home side showcased clinical finishing despite having less possession, extending Elche's winless run.
Real Sociedad arrived at the Reale Arena sitting 9th in the standings, displaying solid recent form to push for European qualification. In contrast, 13th-placed Elche was under pressure, seeking to end a concerning stretch of poor results that had seen them slip down the table.
The match began with a competitive edge, evident early as Elche’s D. Affengruber received a yellow card in the 7th minute. Real Sociedad quickly seized the initiative, pressing their opponents high up the pitch.
Their dominance paid off in the 24th minute when Luka Sucic expertly drilled home the opening goal, assisted by Gonçalo Guedes. However, Sucic's afternoon ended prematurely, as he was substituted five minutes later due to injury.
Captain Mikel Oyarzabal extended Real Sociedad's lead in the 37th minute with a well-placed finish, further establishing control. Elche found a lifeline just before the break, as André Silva pulled one back in the 42nd minute.
The halftime whistle saw Real Sociedad with a 2-1 lead, but Elche's late goal offered hope. Both teams returned to the pitch knowing the next goal would be critical in defining the outcome.
Real Sociedad thought they had restored their two-goal cushion in the 52nd minute through P. Marin. However, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review confirmed an offside infringement, keeping Elche in contention.
The second half saw a flurry of substitutions from both benches, with Elche introducing J. Donald and M. Neto in the 55th minute to inject fresh energy. Real Sociedad responded with changes of their own, bringing on J. Ochieng and J. Aramburu.
Elche, despite holding more of the ball, struggled to create clear-cut chances. Their frustration mounted, leading to further yellow cards for G. Diangana in the 65th minute and G. Villar in the 87th minute.
As the clock ticked down, substitute Orri Steinn Óskarsson extinguished any lingering Elche hopes. He slotted home Real Sociedad’s third goal in the 89th minute, sealing a comfortable 3-1 victory.
Despite Elche dominating possession with 66% compared to Real Sociedad’s 34%, the hosts were more efficient. Real Sociedad’s 2.37 expected goals significantly surpassed Elche’s 1.18 xG, reflecting their clinical edge. Both teams managed 11 total shots.
