Celta Vigo strengthened their grip on a top-eight spot in LaLiga thanks to a hard-fought 1-0 win at Real Sociedad, who fell to a sixth successive winless league outing for the first time since January 2022.

Celta made seven changes from their weekend win against Sevilla, but they certainly didn’t look disjointed in the opening stages, creating a gilt-edged opportunity inside five minutes.

Fer Lopez was instrumental in creating it, threading a measured ball through which sent Borja Iglesias racing clear on goal, but he could only drag an effort inches wide of the target.

That seemed to jolt Sociedad into life, and they controlled the first half for large parts afterwards, even if they didn’t create much in the final third.

There were 33 minutes on the clock when Sociedad worked their first real sight of goal, and even then it came from a set piece, as Mikel Oyarzabal rose highest in the area to divert Sergio Gomez’s corner narrowly wide of the post.

Yet, for all their territorial dominance throughout the opening 45 minutes, it was the visitors who landed the killer blow.

A swift two-pass Celta move freed Alfonso Gonzalez in behind, and as he bore down on goal, his first effort was saved by the legs of Alex Remiro, but he was on hand to turn the rebound into an empty net.

Even Sociedad’s first big chance of the game had an element of fortune to it, as Hamari Traore’s strike squirmed beneath Vicente Guaita, but the former Palace stopper managed to claw the ball when it seemed as though it would trickle over.

Yet, they seemed to gather a little momentum with that goalkeeping mistake, and came within a lick of paint of equalising soon after, when Oyarzabal ghosted in at the back post but could only watch on with anguish as his header bounced back off the post.

Sociedad continued to probe for a late equaliser in the closing stages, but their efforts proved futile as they drew a scoring blank in a third successive home league game.

Defeat makes it all but certain La Reale won’t be playing in Europe next season, but Celta are now looking highly likely to grace the continental stage next term for the first time since 2016/17, having held on valiantly to secure back-to-back wins.