OVIEDO: Real Madrid claimed a 3-0 LaLiga win at promoted Real Oviedo on Sunday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring in each half before Vinicius Junior added a late third to seal the match.

Coach Xabi Alonso made a couple of notable changes to his starting line-up from Madrid’s opening 1-0 win against Osasuna, dropping Vinicius and Trent Alexander-Arnold for Rodrygo Goes and club captain Dani Carvajal, returning from injury.

The dropped Vinicius responded by producing an assist as well in his half-hour cameo.

“It was a very serious, very complete game,” said Alonso. “With and without the ball. Playing as a team. And Vini came on and had a role in those two goals that gave us peace of mind. There will be games for everyone. Decisions are made with the team in mind, and that’s how it was today.”

Mbappe put Real ahead in the 37th minute after Aurelien Tchouameni won the ball off Leander Dendoncker in midfield and quickly fed Arda Guler, who slipped a pass to the Frenchman who turned sharply on the edge of the box and drilled a low shot into the net.

The goal drew loud boos from the home crowd, who were convinced Tchouameni’s challenge had been a foul.

The first meeting between the sides since November 2002 proved a hard-fought contest, with Oviedo’s disciplined defending limiting Real to just a single goal for most of the match.

The resilient hosts nearly snatched an equaliser when Kwasi Sibo’s low drive struck the post and bounced out.

Instead, it was Real who struck in the 83rd minute, once again regaining possession in midfield. Substitute Vinicius slipped the ball through to Mbappe, who finished coolly to double the lead.

Minutes after his goal Mbappe had a chance for a hat-trick but his powerful shot from distance was brilliantly saved by Oviedo keeper Aaron Escandell.

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was called into action, stretching low to his right to deny Haissem Hassan’s angled strike with a fine diving save.

Deep into stoppage time, Vinicius found himself unmarked in the box and calmly picked out the far corner to add Real’s third and final goal.

Elsewhere, Villarreal hammered Girona 5-0 at home as new signing Tajon Buchanan netted a hat-trick to open his La Liga account.

A second-consecutive defeat to start the season leaves Girona, who played Champions League football last season, bottom of the table with seven goals conceded and none scored.

The home side raced into a 4-0 lead inside 30 minutes, with Nicolas Pepe and Rafa Marin scoring as Buchanan grabbed a brace.

The Canadian then got his third four minutes after the hour to cap a scintillating performance by the Yellow Submarine.

Real Sociedad fought back from being 2-0 down at half-time in the Basque country to earn a point against Espanyol.

Pere Milla and Javi Puado gave the Catalans the lead, before Ander Barrenetxea and Orri Oskarsson hit back for Sociedad in eight second-half minutes.

Ante Budimir’s ninth-minute goal gave Osasuna a 1-0 win over 10-man Valencia.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025