Kylian Mbappe continued his fine start for Real Madrid by netting his third goal in two matches, helping his team to a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena.
In what was a fiercely contested La Liga encounter, Mbappe’s late penalty proved decisive, as the French star calmly sent goalkeeper Alex Remiro the wrong way after Jon Aramburu’s foul on Vinicius Jr.
The match saw its first breakthrough in the 58th minute when Vinicius Jr converted from the spot following a handball by Sociedad’s Sergio Gomez, the former Manchester City defender, after Arda Guler’s powerful shot. This marked Vinicius’ second La Liga goal of the season, maintaining Madrid’s attacking threat throughout the game.
Real Sociedad, however, were left ruing their missed opportunities, having struck the woodwork three times. In the 25th minute, Luka Susic’s blistering shot from the edge of the box crashed off the crossbar, with Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois helplessly watching on. Just 10 minutes later, Dani Carvajal’s loss of possession nearly cost Madrid again, but Sheraldo Becker’s left-footed effort also ricocheted off the bar.
Susic continued to be a menace for Sociedad and came agonizingly close just 20 seconds into the second half. The Croatian midfielder slid a perfectly-placed shot past Courtois, only to see his effort strike the base of the post.
Despite Sociedad’s dominance in creating chances, it was Mbappe’s composed penalty that ultimately secured the three points for Madrid, who remain unbeaten after five league matches. The victory, however, wasn’t enough to overtake Barcelona, as Madrid remain a point behind their rivals despite having played one more game.
England international Jude Bellingham, sidelined with a calf injury, was absent from the squad, though he has returned to training and may feature in upcoming matches for the Spanish giants.
Madrid will be relieved to have secured victory in a match where Sociedad’s near-misses could have easily altered the result. The win solidifies their strong start to the season, with Mbappe continuing to be a pivotal figure in their La Liga campaign.