The Independent
·25 August 2024
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Yahoo sportsThe Independent
·25 August 2024
Kylian Mbappe drew another blank as Real Madrid belatedly kick-started their LaLiga title defence with a 3-0 victory over Real Valladolid.
The France superstar, who did not find the back of the net on his league debut in a 1-1 draw at Real Mallorca last weekend, failed to make it on to the scoresheet once again and it was left to Carlo Ancelotti’s substitutes to dash Valladolid’s hopes of snatching a draw.
Federico Valverde broke the deadlock at the Bernabeu five minutes into the second half, but it took late strikes from Brahim Diaz and Mbappe’s 86th-minute replacement Endrick – his first goal for the club – to see Madrid home.
Antoine Griezmann’s inch-perfect free-kick set derby rivals Atletico Madrid on the road to a first league win of the season against Girona.
The France midfielder’s 39th-minute set-piece gave Atletico the advantage over the side which beat them to a third-place finish last season, and Marcos Llorente’s 48th-minute piledriver and a third from substitute Koke secured a 3-0 win at the Civitas Metropolitano on a night when latest signing Conor Gallagher made his debut from the bench.
There was late drama at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque with all three goals in Leganes’ 2-1 victory over Las Palmas arriving inside the final 19 minutes.
Substitutes Juan Cruz and Enric Franquesa did the damage for the hosts, for whom Daniel Rabaseda Antolin missed a second-half penalty, with Sandro Ramirez’s stoppage time replay counting for little.
Alaves, who had defender Aleksandar Sedlar sent off four minutes from time, drew 0-0 at home to Real Betis.
Serge Gnabry was Bayern Munich’s hero as they left it late to launch the new Bundesliga campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory at Wolfsburg.
Bayern, whose run of 11 successive titles was ended by Bayer Leverkusen last season, led through Jamal Musiala’s opener, but trailed to Lovro Majer’s double – the first of them from the penalty spot before Jakub Kaminski’s own goal and Gnabry’s 82nd-minute winner, which was set up by Harry Kane, turned the tide.
St Pauli marked their return to the top flight with a 2-0 defeat by Heidenheim with Paul Wanner and Jan Schoppner on the scoresheet.
In Serie A, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was among the goalscorers as Napoli cruised to a 3-0 victory over Bologna.
Skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo scored in first-half stoppage time before Kvaratskhelia and substitute Giovanni Simeone completed the job.
Emmanuel Gyasi and a Lorenzo Colombo penalty handed Empoli a fine 2-1 win at Roma despite substitute Eldor Shomurodov’s late consolation.
Scotland striker Che Adams’ maiden Torino goal was enough to seal a 2-1 win over Champions League Atalanta.
Mateo Retegui had put the visitors ahead, but Ivan Ilic’s first-half leveller set the stage for Adams to snatch the points four minutes into the second half.
Meanwhile, Venezia secured their first point since winning promotion after a 0-0 draw at Fiorentina.
Mason Greenwood’s third goal for Marseille rescued a point from a 2-2 home Ligue 1 draw with Reims.
The hosts led through Amine Harit, but found themselves 2-1 down to goals from Sergio Akieme and Yaya Fofana before Greenwood headed them level.
Julien Le Cardinal’s own goal helped to ensure Lens maintained their perfect start to the season with a 2-0 home win over last season’s surprise package Brest.
Promoted Auxerre came back to earth with a bump as they lost 2-0 at Nantes and had frontman Ado Onaiwu sent off into the bargain.
Goals from Andrey Santos and Emanuel Emegha and a Christopher Wooh own goal eased Strasbourg to a 3-1 home win over Rennes, while Shavy Babicka snatched a second successive draw for Toulouse with a 73rd-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Nice.
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