Real collapse at Sociedad, Barca triumph

Published September 2, 2014
Barcelona's players celebrate after Sandro Ramirez (2nd R) scored against Villarreal during their Spanish first division soccer match at the Madrigal stadium in Villarreal August 31, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
Barcelona's players celebrate after Sandro Ramirez (2nd R) scored against Villarreal during their Spanish first division soccer match at the Madrigal stadium in Villarreal August 31, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

LONDON: Champions League winners Real Madrid collapsed after leading by two goals to lose 4-2 at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday, while Lionel Messi came away with a leg injury after helping Barcelona to their second straight win to start the season.

Elsewhere in France, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat-trick as Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain thrashed St Etienne 5-0.

Real were playing without injured star Cristiano Ronaldo but looked set for a routine victory at Anoeta Stadium after dominating the first half hour with goals by Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale.

But David Zurutuza scored twice for Sociedad and Inigo Martinez and Carlos Vela added goals as the hosts sealed a remarkable comeback.

“What happened was very unusual, especially after the first 15 minutes,” said Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas. “After that everything was negative, we were horrible in every facet. We can’t lose a game in this way. We have to accept the defeat and the criticism and learn from what happened today.”

Ramos headed in a corner after five minutes and Bale scored the second in the 11th, but Sociedad battled back as the first half progressed and were level by half-time.

Martinez swept home a cross at the far post after 35 minutes and Zurutuza was left unmarked to head the second. After the break Zurutuza and substitute Vela took further advantage of defensive lapses to seal a convincing win.

Barcelona continued Luis Enrique’s winning start as coach with a 1-0 victory over Villarreal, although Messi picked up a hamstring strain.

Messi set up the winning goal in the 82nd minute, taking Neymar’s throughball and drawing goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo off his line before picking out substitute Sandro Ramirez to push the winner into the net.

The 19-year-old Ramirez was making his Barcelona debut and had come on as a substitute just 12 minutes earlier.

“The attitude of the team satisfied me,” Enrique said. “We have a lot to improve on but they have great desire and for me it is a priviledge to see.

“We haven’t done anything yet, but it is encouraging and I am especially happy that today the Barca fans will be happy.”

PSG hit their stride in Ligue 1 as Sweden striker Ibrahimovic scored a hat trick on his return from injury.

After an own-goal by St Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier in the 24th minute, Ibrahimovic doubled the lead by heading home a cross in the 41st and then intercepted a back pass to dribble past Ruffier for a 3-0 lead in the 62nd.

Edinson Cavani made it 4-0 a minute later with a curling shot from 25 yards before Ibrahimovic beat the offside trap to slip the ball past Ruffier in the 72nd.

PSG are second with eight points from four games, two points behind Girondins de Bordeaux who dropped their first points in a 1-1 draw against Bastia earlier on Sunday while Olympique Lyon lost 2-1 to promoted Metz for a third straight defeat in the league.

In Italy, AC Milan got off to a winning start under new coach Filippo Inzaghi by beating Lazio 3-1 at San Siro in their Serie A opener.

Goals from Keisuke Honda and Sulley Muntari and a penalty from Jeremy Menez gave Milan a comfortable lead before Lazio pulled one back with an own goal from new Rossoneri signing Alex.

New Milan goalkeeper Diego Lopez saved Antonio Candreva’s penalty in stoppage time.

Inter Milan goalkeeper Samir Handanovic saved a first-half penalty to earn them a goalless draw at Torino, although defender Nemanja Vidic was sent off on his debut for Walter Mazzarri’s side.

Jonathan de Guzman had a better start at Napoli as his last-gasp goal snatched a late 2-1 win at Genoa, while 10-man Sampdoria also scored late to draw 1-1 against newly promoted-Palermo. Also, Atalanta drew 0-0 at home to Hellas Verona.

Only two games were played in Germany on Sunday where Mainz 05 could only draw 0-0 with Hanover 96 while Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach also played out a goalless draw in the Bundesliga.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd , 2014

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