With Julian Alvarez suspended, Sorloth led the line for the hosts, and the Norwegian had a remarkable first half, scoring the earliest hat-trick in La Liga history after just 11 minutes.
The first goal in an incredible four-minute spell was a half-volley that flew past Álex Remiro as he connected with Pablo Barrios’ cross.
Sorloth then found the bottom corner after a piece of individual brilliance, as his stepover bamboozled his defender.
Sorloth was a man possessed, and the third came almost immediately after, with some calamitous defending leading to the ball falling kindly to him as he lashed home again.
He was not done there though, as on the half-hour mark, he netted his fourth by controlling Javi Galan’s cross before unleashing a strike just as powerful as his previous three.
With the game already long gone for them, Sociedad really had no answer, and their best chance to score a consolation came right before half-time through Martin Zubimendi, as he volleyed Takefusa Kubo’s cross over at the back post.
Just five minutes into the second half, Sorloth was the width of the crossbar away from his fifth goal of the game, as he met a right-sided cross around the edge of the area.
Substitute Arkaitz Mariezkurrena then recorded Sociedad’s first shot on target before the hour mark, but his shot was easily gathered by Jan Oblak.
Sorloth’s replacement Angel Correa forced Remiro into a brilliant save in stoppage time, but the second half was goalless as the hosts mathematically secured their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) with a degree of ease they would never have dared dream possible before kickoff, while Sociedad’s winless league run extended to five matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid)
