Match ends, Real Madrid 3, Real Sociedad 1.
Real MadridReal Madrid3Real SociedadReal Sociedad1
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty before scoring twice as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad to ease the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez.
Ronaldo fired over from the spot on 23 minutes after Sociedad's Yuri was adjudged to have fouled Karim Benzema.
The Portuguese blasted home a second penalty after Yuri handled, but Sociedad substitute Bruma equalised with a fine, angled finish.
Ronaldo's volley made it 2-1 before Lucas Vazquez completed the scoring.
Substitute Vazquez turned Gareth Bale's low cross under Geronimo Rulli to temporarily put his team top of La Liga.
Benitez was booed when his name was read out before kick-off, and again when he replaced James Rodriguez with Mateo Kovacic.
The former Liverpool manager was only appointed in June but three defeats in the previous six league games had put him under pressure.
However, victory in their final game of a disappointing 2015 moved Real Madrid a point ahead of title rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, who both play later.
Benitez's men start 2016 away to Gary Neville's Valencia on Sunday.
Sociedad, meanwhile, end the year without a win in three league games.
Their cause was not helped at the Bernabeu as midfielder Sergio Canales and top-scorer Imanol Agirretxe were both carried off on stretchers in the first half.
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Navas
- 23Danilo
- 3Pepe
- 6NachoBooked at 56mins
- 12Marcelo
- 19ModricSubstituted forCasemiroat 88'minutes
- 8Kroos
- 10RodríguezSubstituted forKovacicat 59'minutes
- 11Bale
- 9BenzemaSubstituted forVázquezat 76'minutes
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
Substitutes
- 2Varane
- 13Casilla
- 14Casemiro
- 16Kovacic
- 18Vázquez
- 20Rodríguez Ruiz
- 22Isco
Real Sociedad
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Rulli
- 2MartínezBooked at 40mins
- 30Elustondo
- 6Martínez Berridi
- 19Berchiche IzetaBooked at 32mins
- 5Bergara
- 4IllarramendiBooked at 62mins
- 10Prieto Argarate
- 16CanalesSubstituted forPardo Gutiérrezat 45'minutes
- 9AgirretxeSubstituted forNa Bangnaat 18'minutes
- 22Cristian de JesusBooked at 24minsSubstituted forVelaat 68'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Na Bangna
- 11Vela
- 13Olazábal Paredes
- 14Pardo Gutiérrez
- 21Hernández Ortega
- 23Reyes
- 24De la Bella
- Referee:
- José Luis González González
- Attendance:
- 60,907
Match Stats
Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamReal Sociedad
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home23
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home13
- Away2
- Corners
- Home13
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away9
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 3, Real Sociedad 1.
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Attempt missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right from a direct free kick.
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Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Rubén Pardo (Real Sociedad).
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Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Asier Illarramendi (Real Sociedad).
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Iñigo Martínez.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Casemiro replaces Luka Modric.
Goal!
Goal! Real Madrid 3, Real Sociedad 1. Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gareth Bale with a cross following a fast break.
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Attempt blocked. Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcelo.
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Aritz Elustondo (Real Sociedad) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid).
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Corner, Real Sociedad. Conceded by Pepe.
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Attempt blocked. Rubén Pardo (Real Sociedad) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Carlos Vela.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Carlos Martínez.
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Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Rubén Pardo (Real Sociedad).
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez replaces Karim Benzema.
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Attempt missed. Rubén Pardo (Real Sociedad) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
