Sociedad resist Turkish onslaught

Real Sociedad soaked up intense pressure from Galatasaray before stealing a 2-1 victory to record their second win in as many Champions League matches.

Darko Kovacevic put the Spanish side ahead just three minutes into the match before Hakan Sukur equalised.

Despite intense second-half pressure from the Turks, Sociedad nicked the victory when Xabi Alonso headed in off the crossbar from a corner after 77 minutes.

Galatasaray were left without a point in two Group D matches and to complete the Turks' miserable night, Hasan Sas was sent off late in the second half.

The game had barely kicked off when Sociedad's Turkish star Nihat Kahveci beat his marker and his cross found Serbia and Montenegro striker Kovacevic who drove the ball past Frank de Boer and goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon.

There was a blow for Galatasaray when one of their creative forces, the Brazilian midfielder Joao Batista, had to leave the field with an injury to be replaced by Cesar Prates late in the first half.

Sukur came close with headers on two occasions before scoring.

The Turks could have drawn level just after the half-hour mark when he directed a free header wide and he headed narrowly over the crossbar ten minutes into the second half.

But just after the hour mark, Sukur received a pinpoint pass from Arif Erdem and slipped the ball past the onrushing Sander Westerveld in the Sociedad goal.

Sociedad brought on Korean striker Chun-Soo Lee to replace Igor Gabilondo as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

With a rare counter-attack, Sociedad won a corner which was floated in by Valery Karpin and Alonso's header rebounded off the bar and over the line.

The Turks' frustration showed when Sas was tripped twice, awarded a free kick but still threw Sociedad substitute Bittor Alkiza to the ground and was dismissed immediately.