Credit: Real Madrid
Madrid, September 24 (IANS) Real Madrid retained its perfect record at the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win away to recently promoted Levante
Excellent goals from Vinicius Jr., back in the starting 11 after reacting badly to being substituted at the weekend, and Franco Mastantuono after 27 and 37 minutes put Real Madrid 2-0 up at halftime.
Etta Eyong nodded Levante back into the game after 53 minutes, but another Kylian Mbappe penalty in the 63rd minute restored Madrid's two-goal lead. A second goal from the Frenchman two minutes later meant there was no doubt where the points were heading.
"We've just finished the game and I was fully focused on today's match and where we're headed. We'll start thinking about the derby from tomorrow. It was a really complete team performance, Vini was decisive and put on a really good display," Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said.
Villarreal won 2-1 away to Sevilla, with Manor Solomon scoring the winning goal on the break five minutes from time. Tani Oluwaseyi had put Villarreal ahead after 16 minutes and the visitors dominated the first half, before Djibril Sow equalized in the 50th minute. Sevilla then looked the more likely side to win until Solomon's late strike.
In the early kickoffs, Athletic Bilbao drew 1-1 at home to Girona, with the visitors taking a first-half lead through Azzedine Ounahi's ninth-minute effort that went in off the underside of the crossbar.
Athletic made four changes at halftime and Mikel Jauregizar leveled the match with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area three minutes into the second half.
Javi Puado scored a 96th-minute equalizer as Espanyol twice came back from behind to claim a point at home to Valencia. Arnaut Danjuma put Valencia ahead after 15 minutes, with Leandro Cabrera leveling in the 59th minute. Hugo Duro restored Valencia's lead just three minutes later, before Puado's late strike denied them a second win in four days.
