(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Mbappe Shines as 10-Man Real Madrid Beat Real Sociedad 2-1
Barcelona: Kylian Mbappe delivered a stellar performance as Real Madrid battled to a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday, despite playing an hour with 10 men following Dean Huijsen’s red card.
⚽ Mbappe Leads the Way
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 12th minute after capitalizing on a misplaced back-pass, using his pace to outclass two defenders before slotting home his fourth league goal of the season. Minutes later, the Frenchman turned provider, setting up Arda Guler, who doubled Madrid’s lead with a composed finish.
Despite the setback of Huijsen’s dismissal for a foul on Mikel Oyarzabal, Madrid showed grit and determination to protect their lead.
🔴 Red Card Drama
Huijsen, recently signed from Bournemouth, was shown a straight red for pulling down Oyarzabal as he surged towards goal. Real boss Xabi Alonso disagreed with the decision, insisting the challenge was worth only a yellow card.
“The red card changed the game a bit, but we weren’t afraid. We scored the second and worked hard as a team,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV after the match.
⚡ Sociedad Fight Back
Real Sociedad reduced the deficit when Oyarzabal converted from the penalty spot after a Dani Carvajal handball. However, the hosts were unable to break through again, and Madrid held firm for their fourth win in as many games.
📊 La Liga Standings
The win keeps Real Madrid top of the table with 12 points, three clear of Athletic Bilbao, who lost 1-0 at home to Deportivo Alaves thanks to an unfortunate Alejandro Berenguer own goal.
🔴 Atletico Madrid Bounce Back
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid secured their first win of the season, beating Villarreal 2-0 at the Metropolitano. Goals from Pablo Barrios and debutant Nico Gonzalez lifted Diego Simeone’s side, though injuries to Julian Alvarez, Robin Le Normand, and David Hancko remain a concern ahead of their midweek Champions League clash with Liverpool.
Atletico captain Koke praised the fans’ support, while Simeone expressed satisfaction with the performance but said more would be known about the players’ knocks after medical checks.
✅ Summary: Kylian Mbappe inspired 10-man Real Madrid to a hard-fought win over Real Sociedad, keeping their perfect start intact, while Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways with an encouraging 2-0 victory against Villarreal.
