Atlético Madrid win sleep-inducing duel with Real Sociedad in the closing stages

Real Sociedad v Atlético Madrid finished 0-3. It was a scrappy contest with few clear-cut chances, but Diego Simeone's side got the job done through a converted penalty and two late goals.

Atléti now sit seventh after four rounds of matches. They beat Malaga CF (2-0), then drew with Villareal (2-2), won against Sevilla (1-3) and subsequently lost to Athletic Bilbao (3-0).

After the Champions League match against Liverpool, a 2-1 defeat, coach Diego Simeone made several changes for this LaLiga game. Julian Alvarez, Koke and Pablo Barrios dropped to the bench. Morten Hjulmand, Álex Grimaldo and Ademola Lookman came into the starting XI.

Neither side found a breakthrough in the first half. Big chances never came and possession stayed fairly even. Only one effort hit the target, when Sergio Gómez forced Jan Oblak into a save.

That pattern continued after the break. Sociedad and Atlético repeatedly saw their attacks stopped before they reached the penalty area, so chances still failed to appear.

With little joy through the middle, both teams kept going wide and looked for crosses. One delivery from Madrid was headed back and struck the arm of Job Ochieng, prompting the referee to award Atlético a penalty. Grimaldo then calmly fired the visitors ahead from 12 yards in San Sebastián.

Jonathan David doubled the lead. The Canada striker slalomed through the Real Sociedad defence and kept his cool to make it 0-2. In the 95th minute, Giuliano Simeone struck the killer blow on the counter for 0-3. The win lifts the club from the Spanish capital into fourth place.