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| Fede Valverde of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Ander Barrenetxea of Real Sociedad during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and Real Sociedad at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 17, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. |
Real Madrid have remained perfect in the Spanish league after they rallied again for a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad.
Federico Valverde and Joselu scored early in the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday to give Madrid their fifth straight victory to start the La Liga season.
The only team still with a perfect record, Madrid have a two-point lead over second-placed Barcelona, who have won four in a row after opening with a draw.
Ander Barrenetxea put Sociedad ahead with a goal from inside the area only five minutes in after a cross by Japan forward Takefusa Kubo. Valverde equalised less than a minute into the second half from outside the area, and Joselu scored the go-ahead goal in the 60th with a header off a cross by Fran Garcia, who also assisted in Valverde's goal.
It was the third time that Madrid had to come from behind to pick up a win this season, having also trailed early in victories against Almeria and Getafe.
Sociedad drew their first three matches but were coming off a win against Granada.
New Madrid signing Jude Bellingham had entered the match as one of the hottest players in the league, having scored five goals in the first four matches. The 20-year-old England midfielder nearly got his sixth with a diving close-range header that required a save by Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Ramiro near the end of match.
Madrid, still without injured forward Vinicius Junior, will be back at the Bernabeu on Wednesday to open their Champions League campaign in a group-stage match against Germany's Union Berlin.
In Seville and after a gap of 18 years, veteran defender Sergio Ramos has played again for the club where he started his career as Sevilla defeated Las Palmas 1-0 for their first win of the season.
Some home fans were not happy with the 37-year-old's recent signing, from PSG via Real Madrid, but most showed their support.
"It was very moving to be playing in front of these fans again," Ramos said.
Dodi Lukebakio scored a 71st-minute winner for Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium to move them out of the relegation zone after three consecutive league losses to start the season.
It was the third defeat in five matches for promoted Las Palmas, who remains winless and in the drop zone.
Elsewhere, Nemanja Maksimovic scored in the 86th minute as Getafe beat Osasuna 3-2 for their second win in three matches.
Mason Greenwood, who left Manchester United following a criminal investigation into a possible attempted rape that was closed by prosecutors, came on as a substitute late in the match to make his Getafe debut.
And Villarreal scored a 2-1 victory against Almeria thanks to Alexander Sorloth's winning header four minutes into added time.
Villarreal had lost three of their first four games, while Almeria remain winless and in last place with four losses and a draw.