Kylian Mbappe was the difference again as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2-1 in La Liga on Saturday, even after going down to 10 men.
The French striker opened the scoring after just 12 minutes, racing onto a loose back-pass and finishing calmly for his fourth league goal of the season.
Madrid’s night became more difficult when new defender Dean Huijsen was sent off on the half-hour mark for pulling back Mikel Oyarzabal. But Madrid stayed sharp, and before halftime Arda Guler doubled the lead after good work from Mbappe.
Sociedad got back into the game in the second half. Dani Carvajal gave away a penalty with a handball, and Oyarzabal converted to make it 2-1. The home side pushed for an equaliser, but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two big saves to protect Madrid’s lead.
The win means Xabi Alonso’s team remain top of the table with 12 points from four games. Athletic Bilbao play later on Saturday, while champions Barcelona face Valencia on Sunday.
Mbappe, who also created Guler’s goal, was Madrid’s key player once again, showing why he has quickly become the leader of Alonso’s attack.
