SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe both struck from the penalty spot to earn Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.
The Spanish champions moved within a point of leaders Barcelona who face last season’s surprise package Girona on Sunday.
Real Sociedad hit the woodwork on three occasions before Madrid’s second half spot-kicks earned them three points from an end-to-end clash at the Reale Arena.
“It was a tough game, probably we didn’t deserve to win because Real Sociedad played very well... but we bore it out, we suffered, we were committed in the tough moments of the game and I value that a lot,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
“This sacrifice and commitment from a team with such quality, you cannot always find — and today we found it.
The Italian was without injured midfielders Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni, and benched Rodrygo Goes for Brahim Diaz.
After Mbappe netted twice to score his first La Liga goals in his previous outing, all eyes were on the French forward.
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker forced Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro into a smart save and had a surging run forward cut short by some last-ditch defending.
Real Sociedad hit the woodwork for the first of three occasions when new arrival Luka Sucic slammed an effort from distance against the bar.
Ancelotti brought on Rodrygo after Diaz suffered an injury and the champions came close through Antonio Rudiger’s header, clawed out by Remiro, and an Mbappe effort across the face of goal.
At the other end Real Sociedad forward Sheraldo Becker struck the bar when played in.
Sucic fired a low strike against the post early in the second half as the Basque side lacked luck in front of goal and Madrid inevitably capitalized.
Vinicius fired home from the spot in the 58th minute after Sergio Gomez handled Arda Guler’s drive and Mbappe soon followed suit.
The French superstar sent Remiro the wrong way from the spot after Jon Aramburu stood on Vinicius’ foot.
Madrid saw the remaining 15 minutes out without stress ahead of their return to Champions League action on Tuesday against Stuttgart.
Mbappe now has three goals in five La Liga matches for Madrid, although two have come from the penalty spot.
Los Blancos last tasted defeat in La Liga in September 2023, going 37 league matches unbeaten since.
“We had a great first half, we had a lot of chances, the game was alive,” said Real Sociedad’s Igor Zubeldia.
“In the second half we started well but the penalty was a tough blow... we were comfortable, it changed the whole game for us.”
Earlier Sevilla earned their first victory of the season with a tight 1-0 triumph over Getafe and Villarreal moved provisionally third with a 2-1 win at Mallorca.
Vinicius, Mbappe penalties help Madrid beat Real Sociedad
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Vinicius, Mbappe penalties help Madrid beat Real Sociedad
- The Spanish champions moved within a point of leaders Barcelona who face last season’s surprise package Girona on Sunday
Saudi Arabia ‘elevating’ women’s cricket with new T20 tournament
- Groundbreaking partnership to feature players from 35 countries
- Annual Women’s T20 World Challenge marks new chapter for women’s sport, says Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation’s new five-year partnership with FairBreak Global to host a Women’s World T20 Challenge in Saudi Arabia from 2026, will be “elevating” the game for females in the Kingdom.
This was the comment made by SACF Chairman Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud in a press release recently. “This partnership represents another step in our journey to build a world-class cricket ecosystem in the Kingdom,” he said.
“By bringing a global women’s tournament to Saudi Arabia, we are not only elevating the sport, but also opening new pathways for talent development, private-sector participation, and international investment — fully aligned with our vision for the future of cricket and the ambitions of Vision 2030,” he added.
The event will be the first professional women’s T20 league to take place in the Kingdom.
The challenge will bring together players from more than 35 countries, including many from emerging cricket nations.
“This partnership is more than a tournament, it is a long-term investment in the future of women’s sport in Saudi Arabia,” said Tariq Ziad Sagga, CEO of the SACF.
“We are proud to welcome the world’s leading players while creating new pathways for Saudi girls and women to participate in sport at every level. This reflects our values of growth, ambition and global collaboration,” he added.
The event will also be made accessible to global audiences through live broadcast and digital streaming, said the SACF.
“We are proud to partner with Saudi Arabia on what we believe is a truly significant step for FairBreak and for women’s cricket worldwide,” said R.V. Venkatesh, MD at FairBreak Cricket Ltd.
“Saudi Arabia offers not only a world-class stage, but also a long-term opportunity to grow the game, support emerging talent, and bring people together through sport. This is about building something meaningful, with real momentum and global relevance,” added Venkatesh.
“This is more than a cricket tournament. It’s a statement that Saudi Arabia is ready to lead globally in sport, innovation, and inclusion,” said Taha Coburn-Kutay, director at FairBreak.
“As we invest in infrastructure and access, we are also investing in the future of women in cricket and inviting the world to experience a new, modern Saudi Arabia,” said Coburn-Kutay.
