SEVILLE, Spain — A decisive goal in the second half from Alexis Sánchez propelled Sevilla to a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Monday, helping them escape the relegation zone in La Liga.
The 37-year-old Chilean made his mark just five minutes after coming on as a halftime substitute.
This win lifted Sevilla to 17th place, narrowly above Alaves, who sit in the third relegation position. Levante and Real Oviedo occupy the 19th and 20th spots, respectively.
The relegation battle remains tight, with just three points separating Alaves in 18th and Valencia, who are in 12th place.
Despite losing five of their last six matches prior to this game, Sevilla celebrated consecutive home wins in the league for the first time since October 2024. They even had a second goal from Lucien Agoumé disallowed after a video review.
The defeat was a significant setback for Sociedad, which is pursuing European competition for next season. A win would have lifted them into joint sixth with Celta Vigo, but they remain in ninth place, trailing Celta by three points and sitting behind Getafe and Athletic Club by one point.
Meanwhile, at the top of the table, Barcelona has the opportunity to clinch their second consecutive La Liga title on Sunday when they face Real Madrid, needing just a win or a draw to secure the championship against Alvaro Arbeloa’s team.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.