MADRID: A clinical Real Madrid extended their perfect start to the LaLiga season when they beat city rivals Atletico Madrid 2-1 at the Metropolitano on Sunday.

Despite being second best for large periods of the first half, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were ruthless in front of goal as strikes from Rodrygo and Federico Valverde put them in a commanding position. Mario Hermoso pulled a goal back for the hosts late on but they were unable to find an equaliser.

Victory means Real return to the top of the LaLiga table on 18 points from six games, two ahead of Barcelona in second. Atletico are seventh, eight points behind their neighbours.

“You’re always very happy after winning the derby,” Ancelotti said. “We managed to double our lead and then defend really well. Our gameplan was to be solid at the back and to play direct with the ball between the lines. That’s how we scored and we knew once we’d got 2-0 up that defending would be enough to get us over the line.”

The match, however, was marred by Atletico fans chanting racist abuse at Real’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr outside their Metropolitano Stadium ahead of the derby.

Diego Simeone’s side started brightly and went close through defender Felipe and Yannick Carrasco but found themselves behind when Rodrygo emphatically finished the visitors’ first attempt on target on 18 minutes.

It was a goal largely out of nothing, with Aurelien Tchouameni’s pass over the top catching the home side’s defence cold and allowing the Brazilian to fire home on the half-volley.

Antoine Griezmann forced a save from Real keeper Thibaut Courtois as the hosts looked to bounce back, but Real doubled their lead with their next effort on goal when Valverde fired in from close range after Vinicius’s shot had rebounded off the post.

Atletico set up a grandstand finish through substitute Hermoso’s header seven minutes from time following a rare mistake from Courtois who misjudged a cross, before the defender was sent off for a second bookable offence in injury time and Real held on to take the points.—

Earlier on Sunday, Alex Baena’s strike earned Villarreal a 1-1 draw against Sevilla, keeping the pressure on the Andalusians’ coach Julen Lopetegui.

The draw leaves Sevilla provisionally 15th after six games, while it moves Unai Emery’s Villarreal into sixth place.

Emery, a three-time Europa League winner with Sevilla, might sympathise with his opposite number but his team fought back to frustrate Lopetegui’s hopes of an impressive away win and could have won it with a flurry of late chances.

Sevilla took the lead in the eighth minute when Isco beat the offside trap and cut a ball back for Oliver Torres to slide home inside the far post.

But soon after half-time, Baena, on as a substitute, was played in through the middle brilliantly by Francis Coquelin and prodded home for his third league goal of the season.

Elsewhere, Borja Iglesias celebrated being called up to Luis Enrique’s Spain squad with a brace, to earn Real Betis a 2-1 win over Girona.

Arnau Martinez sent the visitors ahead in the seventh minute but Iglesias netted a penalty to level and then charged through to tuck home the winner in the 71st minute.

Betis rose to third, continuing their strong start to the season.

Real Sociedad beat Espanyol 2-1 thanks to goals from Alexander Sorloth and Brais Mendez.

Edu Exposito levelled Sorloth’s opener but Mendez, in good form with four goals in six games, netted what proved the winning goal after 29 minutes.

Real Sociedad moved eighth, and the defeat left Espanyol 17th, on four points from six games.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2022