Sociedad on verge of reaching Champions League knockout stage after 3-1 win over Benfica
Wed, Nov 8, 2023
Soccer News (AP)
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain (AP) - Real Sociedad scored three times in the first 21 minutes to defeat Benfica 3-1 and move closer to reaching the Champions League round of 16 for the second time in its history on Wednesday.
Sociedad will secure a spot in the next stage if Inter Milan wins at Salzburg in the other Group D match later on Wednesday. The Spanish club advanced to the last 16 in its debut in Europe's top club competition in 2003-04.
Benfica, the two-time European champion that had reached the quarterfinals the last two seasons, was eliminated after its fourth loss in four matches.
Sociedad moved to 10 points in Group D, three more than Inter and seven more than third-place Salzburg. Benfica, which lost 1-0 to Sociedad in the previous round, stayed last with no points.
Sociedad came out pressing and overwhelmed Benfica in a near-perfect first half in which it also missed a penalty kick with Brais Mendez.
Mikel Merino opened the scoring in the sixth minute, Mikel Oyarzabal netted in the 11th and Ander Barrenetxea got the third in the 21st. Benfica pulled one closer with Rafa Silva in the 49th.
The match was briefly stopped early in the second half after Benfica fans threw flares toward Sociedad supporters. The referee also momentarily halted action toward the end of the match because of an issue with a Sociedad fan in the stands.
Sociedad is making its third group-stage appearance and first since 2013-14 when it finished fourth with one point in a group with Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen and Shakhtar Donetsk. The Basque Country club was eliminated by Lyon in the round of 16 in 2003-04.
Benfica is making its 13th group-stage appearances in the last 14 seasons. It finished first last season in a group that included Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.
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