Primera Division: Pablo Piatti scores twice as Valencia beat Real Sociedad 2-0

A quick-fire double from Pablo Piatti earned Valencia a 2-0 win at home to Real Sociedad and continued their push for the fourth Champions League place.

The Argentinian forward broke the deadlock in a tight match eight minutes into the second half and scored again moments later to put Nuno Espirito Santo's side on to 53 points, their best total at this stage in a season since they won the Primera Division title in 2004.

David Moyes' men, though, remained five points away from the drop zone.

Valencia had the majority of the possession and controlled the play in the first half without creating too many clear chances.

A quarter of an hour into the game Sofiane Feghouli raced towards the area and went for goal, but he missed the target when squaring to a free Alvaro Negredo may have been the better option.

The best chance of the half fell to Nicolas Otamendi, who miscued with just Sociedad goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli to beat after a slip in the visiting defence.

The Basques had looked relatively secure at the back, but after the break they left themselves exposed down their left-hand side and were punished.

Valencia captain Dani Parejo received the ball from a throw in, got to the byline and cut the ball back to the near post, where Piatti arrived to knock it home with the help of a deflection by Jon Ansotegi.

The second goal arrived immediately and in similar fashion.

This time it was Feghouli who came tearing down the right wing and the Algerian rolled the ball across the six-yard box for Piatti to stroke it down the middle for his third goal in two games.

Negredo and substitute Rodrigo Moreno could have added to the scoreline for the hosts, but the points were already secure.