MADRID: Robert Lewan­dowski sco­red his fifth goal in four La Liga games for Barcelona and helped his team breeze past Sevilla with a 3-0 win on Satu­rday, while Real Madrid made it four wins from four with victory over Real Betis.

The win lifts Barcelona to second place in the table on 10 points, two behind leaders Real Madrid.

For Julen Lopetegui’s team, however, it was their third defeat in four games, leaving them with only one point in 17th place.

Roared on by their fans at a sold-out Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, Sevilla enjo­yed an impressive start, pressing Barce­lona high and cornering their rivals.

But the visitors silenced the crowd in a lightning counter attack in the 21st minute, ending with Raphinha heading in a rebound from a Lewandowski chipped shot that a defender cleared off the line.

Fifteen minutes later, Jules Kounde sent a perfect cross into the box that Lewandowski caught on his chest before striking his volley into the bottom left corner.

Ten minutes into the second half, Kounde provided another assist, heading a corner at the right post on to Eric Garcia, who thumped home from close range to wrap up the three points.

Lewandowski kept trying to lob the goalkeeper and delivered another attempted chip in a counter-attack in the 73rd minute only to be denied by a defe­nder on the goal again, with Frenkie de Jong almost scoring from the rebound.

The Dutch midfielder shot just wide of the post again five minutes later.Vinicius Junior struck for the third game running as Real took an early lead at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Sergio Canales soon equalised with a goal against his former club.

Rodrygo secured a 2-1 win for Carlo Ancelotti’s side just past the hour with his first goal of the campaign, ending Betis’ perfect start.

Playing at home for the first time this season as renovation work continues on their iconic ground, Real had a lucky early escape when Nabil Fekir appeared to be fouled in the area.

The incident went unpunished and was not reviewed, but Fekir injured his hamstring and had to be replaced.

Real promptly inflicted a sucker punch as Vinicius raced onto David Alaba’s ball over the top, lobbing Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva for the opening goal.

Betis, who began the season with wins over Elche, Mallorca and Osasuna, hit back when Borja Iglesias laid off a throw-in for Canales to drive through the legs of Thibaut Courtois.

Vinicius should have immediately restored Real’s lead, blazing over a cross from Rodrygo. Silva then made a miraculous stop to claw out Aurelien Tchouameni’s header.

The Betis keeper again got his fingers to a powerful effort from Luka Modric, but Rodrygo had the final say when he slid home Fede Valverde’s pass on 65 minutes.

Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 at Real Sociedad as Nigeria striker Umar Sadiq scored on his debut for the hosts.

Alvaro Morata swept in at a corner in the fifth minute, but Sadiq headed home a second-half equaliser following his arrival from Almeria.

Mallorca and Girona drew 1-1 in the early game.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2022