Real Sociedad beat Espanyol to close gap on Real Madrid in La Liga

Despite Espanyol's recent struggles, Sociedad was made to fight until the very end to secure the victory.

Takefusa Kubo and Alexander Sorloth scored the crucial goals to give the Basque team a commanding lead, before Espanyol defender Leandro Cabrera headed a Kubo cross into his own net to increase their lead.

Sergi Darder and Brian Olivan scored consolation goals for Espanyol, but Cabrera's dismissal in stoppage time ended their hopes of a comeback.

The result leaves Real Sociedad third, hot on the heels of Real Madrid. However, they are still 14 points behind league leaders Barcelona, who won their match against Villarreal on Sunday.

Sociedad was still without creative midfielder David Silva, but the return of Mikel Merino from injury provided some much-needed depth in the squad.

The win is a much-needed boost for Sociedad, who had gone three games without a win across all competitions. It is also a testament to the improved form of Takefusa Kubo, who has scored four league goals this season after struggling to make an impact in previous seasons.

For Espanyol, who are languishing just one point above the relegation zone, the result is a major setback. They must improve fast if they are to avoid a relegation battle.