Madrid maintain perfect start in LaLiga with another comeback win

MADRID - Real Madrid were forced to come from behind to continue their perfect start to the new LaLiga season with a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, said German news agency (dpa).

Jude Bellingham was presented with the player of the month award for August before kick-off, but the Santiago Bernabeu went silent after five minutes when Ander Barrenetxea put Sociedad in front.

It remained 1-0 until half-time, but Carlo Ancelotti’s men levelled immediately after the break with Federico Valverde side-footing home 40 seconds into the second half.

Madrid’s winner arrived on the hour mark when Joselu headed home Fran Garcia’s cross to earn the LaLiga leaders a fifth consecutive win.

Earlier in the day, Mason Greenwood made his first appearance in 20 months and helped Getafe to a late 3-2 win over Osasuna.

Greenwood signed for Getafe on loan on transfer deadline day after Manchester United made the decision last month for the forward to continue his career away from Old Trafford after he was suspended by the club in January 2022 over allegations relating to a young woman after images and videos were posted online.

One-time England forward Greenwood faced charges which included attempted rape and assault, but after Britain's Crown Prosecution Service announced in February that the case had been discontinued, he resumed his career in Madrid with a cameo in a five-goal thriller.

Introduced with 13 minutes left at Coliseum Alfonso Perez, Greenwood’s blocked shot forced a corner which resulted in Nemanja Maksimovic’s 86th-minute winner after the Serbian headed home Carles Alena’s cross.

It was later reported Greenwood received chants urging him to "die” by the visiting Osasuna supporters.

Europa League winners Sevilla claimed a first win of the new season after Dodi Lukebakio’s 71st-minute effort earned them a 1-0 victory at home to Las Palmas.

Villarreal required a stoppage-time header to beat Almeria after former Crystal Palace forward Alexander Sorloth nodded home from close range in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Sergio Akieme had put Almeria ahead a minute before half-time, but Gerard Moreno levelled on the stroke of the interval before Sorloth headed in a last-gasp winner.

Roma put their poor start to the campaign behind them with Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku scoring in a 7-0 thrashing of Empoli.

Jose Mourinho’s side had lost two of their opening three Serie A fixtures, but Paulo Dybala and Renato Sanches put them 2-0 up inside eight minutes.

Empoli, the division’s bottom club, trailed 3-0 at the break thanks to Alberto Grassi’s own goal before Roma upped the ante after half-time with Dybala completing his brace before Lukaku fired home with eight minutes left following a quick break after Andrea Belotti’s pass.

Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini were also on the scoresheet.

Fiorentina edged out Atalanta in a five-goal thriller with Christian Kouama firing the winner in the 76th-minute after Ademola Lookman looked to have salvaged a point for the visitors.

Teun Koopmeiners put Atalanta ahead before Giacomo Bonaventura and Lucas Martinez Quarta put the home side ahead at half-time.

Luca Mazzitelli’s brace inspired Frosinone to a 4-2 home victory over Sassuolo despite Andrea Pinamonti’s early double giving the visitors a two-goal advantage.

Walid Cheddira halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time before Mazzitelli’s double and Pol Lirola wrapped up the impressive comeback win.

Monza and Lecce finished with 10 men after Luca Caldirola and Federico Baschirotto received their marching orders respectively in a 1-1 draw. Nikola Krstovic’s third-minute penalty was cancelled out by Andrea Colpani.

There was also a red card in the goalless stalemate between Cagliari and Udinese after Mateusz Wieteska received a second yellow card late on.

Folarin Balogun scored for Ligue 1 leaders Monaco but they were pegged back by a stoppage-time leveller for 2-2 by Romain Faivre in Lorient.

Aiyegun Tosin put Lorient ahead after two minutes but Aleksandr Golovin equalized for Adi Hütter’s Monaco before Balogun struck with 21 minutes left.

Faivre had the final say on proceedings when he fired into the bottom corner in the eighth minute of stoppage time in a match where former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy, who was cleared of rape and attempted rape charges in July, made his first competitive appearance in two years for Lorient.

Elsewhere, Marseille were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Toulouse and Lyon played out a goalless stalemate with visiting Le Havre.

Moses Simon’s solitary goal earned Nantes a first win of the season at Clermont, while Brest won 2-1 at Reims and Strasbourg came back to draw 2-2 with Montpellier. - BERNAMA-dpa