Bottom-of-the-table Cordoba slumped to a new low as they lost their eighth La Liga match in a row and had three players sent off in a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad this evening.

The visitors to the Anoeta got off to the worst possible start when Aleksandar Pantic was dismissed after just six minutes, but that did not stop the team taking the lead five minutes later.

Bebe's corner found the head of Florin Andone, who directed the ball into the net from close range.

Inigo Lopez had chances to double the lead with two headers in the space of a minute, but both were saved by Geronimo Rulli.

Real Sociedad grew into the game after half an hour, as Sergio Canales and Imanol Agirretxe both missed the target.

Agirretxe made no mistake shortly afterwards, however, scoring the equaliser in the 33rd minute as he headed in to the bottom-left corner from Canales's cross.

Both teams struck the woodwork in the lead up to the half-time whistle, with Bebe's long-range effort rebounding off the crossbar and Joseba Zaldua striking the left post.

Real Sociedad started the second half on the attack, with Inigo Martinez, Agirretxe (twice) and Gonzalo Castro all failing to find the back of the net.

Cordoba were not finished either though, and Borja's long-range shot was saved by Rulli in the 65th minute.

The visitors' brave resistance was broken 10 minutes later, however, as Castro completed the turnaround by volleying into the bottom-right corner from Agirretxe's cross.

Cordoba's evening then went from bad to worse as they were reduced to nine men when Lopez saw red for a dangerous tackle.

Ruben Pardo and Carlos Vela threatened to double the lead in the closing stages, but both players missed the target.

Alfred Finnbogason grabbed a third goal in stoppage time, scoring from 12 yards out, while Cordoba's misery was compounded when they saw a third man dismissed in the form of Dani Pinillos.

The result means Cordoba remain seven points from safety in the La Liga table, with Real Sociedad rising to ninth.