Sociedad keeps on winning, advances to Copa quarters

MADRID (AP) — Real Sociedad extended its impressive winning streak by defeating Mallorca 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.

Robert Navarro scored in the fifth minute to give Sociedad its eighth straight win in all competitions. Half of those victories came in the Spanish league, where it sits in third place. It will be playing in the last eight of the Copa for the second consecutive season.

It was the fourth straight Copa match with a goal for the 20-year-old Navarro, a member of Spain’s youth squads.

“We suffered, but it was a well-deserved victory,” Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil said.

Sociedad finished in the top six in the Spanish league the last three seasons but hasn’t qualified for the Champions League since 2012-13.

Sociedad has outscored opponents 19-4 during its current winning run. It was coming off a 3-1 home win against Basque Country rival Athletic Bilbao.

Sociedad’s last game without a win was a 1-1 league draw against Valencia at home on Nov. 6. It had lost two in a row before that – 1-0 to Manchester United in the Europa League and 2-0 to Real Betis in the Spanish league, both times at home.

It was the second consecutive loss for Mallorca, following a 1-0 defeat at Osasuna in the league, where Javier Aguirre’s team sits in 10th place.

On Wednesday, Atlético Madrid visits second-division club Levante trying to rebound from two consecutive games without a win in the league. Levante eliminated first-division Getafe in the previous round.

Also Wednesday, defending champion Real Betis hosts Osasuna, while Valencia visits Sporting Gijón and Athletic Bilbao plays against Espanyol.

On Thursday, newly crowned Spanish Super Cup champion Barcelona visits third-division club Ceuta, while Real Madrid is at Villarreal.

SEVILLA ADVANCES

Ivan Rakitic scored his first goal of the season to help Sevilla advance to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win at second-division club Alavés.

Rakitic scored the winner with a diving header from near the penalty spot after a cross by Jesús Navas in the 48th minute.

Sevilla has won only five of its last 11 matches, with four of those victories coming in the Copa. It had last reached the quarterfinals in 2020-21.

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