Kylian Mbappe delivered another decisive performance as Real Madrid overcame adversity to secure a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday, even after playing an hour with 10 men following Dean Huijsen’s dismissal.
First-half strikes from Mbappe and Arda Guler ensured Los Blancos extended their perfect start to the season, with Mikel Oyarzabal pulling one back from the penalty spot for the hosts. The win keeps Madrid top of the table with 12 points from four games.
Madrid took the lead inside 12 minutes when Mbappe capitalized on a poor back-pass, using his blistering pace to evade two defenders before slotting home his fourth league goal of the campaign. Minutes later, Guler thought he had doubled the lead, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The match turned when Huijsen was shown a straight red card for dragging down Oyarzabal as he raced through on goal. Despite the setback, Mbappe surged forward again before setting up Guler for a composed finish to make it 2-0 before the break.
Sociedad fought back in the second half, and Oyarzabal converted from the spot after Dani Carvajal handled inside the box. Despite relentless pressure, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced crucial saves to preserve Madrid’s advantage.
Coach Xabi Alonso rotated his squad, resting Fede Valverde while handing Dani Ceballos a start, and also benched Trent Alexander-Arnold. Vinicius Junior struggled to make an impact and was replaced by Fran Garcia as Alonso sought defensive stability.
Madrid endured a tense finale but survived six minutes of stoppage time to claim all three points, highlighting both their resilience and Mbappe’s influence at the heart of their attack.
What you should know
Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 2-1 despite being reduced to 10 men after Dean Huijsen’s red card. Kylian Mbappe scored and assisted Arda Guler, while Mikel Oyarzabal netted Sociedad’s penalty.
The win keeps Madrid top of La Liga with a perfect record, showing resilience and attacking brilliance.
