Sevilla boosted their survival hopes in La Liga with a vital 1-0 win over Real Sociedad, climbing out of the relegation zone with four matches remaining thanks to a decisive late contribution from Alexis Sánchez.
Starting the night two points adrift of safety, Sevilla showed urgency from the outset at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium.
Chidera Ejuke came close early on, forcing a sharp save from Álex Remiro, while Nemanja Gudelj and Andrés Castrín also threatened during a dominant opening spell.
Despite controlling proceedings and pinning Sociedad back for much of the first half, Sevilla lacked the finishing touch. Neal Maupay squandered a promising chance from close range, and Ejuke fired over after a lively run into the box.
The breakthrough finally arrived shortly after the interval. Introduced at half-time, Sánchez made an immediate impact, finishing clinically into the far corner after good build-up play involving Maupay.
With the lead secured, manager Luis García saw his side manage the game effectively, as chances became scarce in the final half-hour.
Sevilla thought they had doubled their advantage when Lucien Agoumé found the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Sociedad, led by Pellegrino Matarazzo, pushed late on for an equaliser but failed to break through Sevilla’s defence.
The result marks only Sevilla’s second league win in nine matches, yet it proves crucial as they move out of the bottom three, overtaking Deportivo Alavés in the standings at a critical stage of the season.
