Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu in their first home match of the LaLiga season.
Madrid recovered after a disjointed first half in which the home crowd expressed its frustration. The hosts had looked short of rhythm, careless in possession and vulnerable on the counter-attack before the interval.
How the match developed
Real Madrid took the lead late in the first half, but Real Sociedad levelled four minutes later. The teams went into half-time level after Sociedad had posed a threat in the opening stages and Madrid had struggled to establish control.
The home side were more effective after the break. Madrid restored their advantage on the hour, added a third goal eight minutes later and completed the 4-1 victory with a fourth 10 minutes from time.
Mbappé’s third goal completed his hat-trick and sealed the result. The win came after the Bernabéu crowd had jeered during a sluggish opening period.
A home victory for Real Madrid
The result gave Real Madrid a winning start to their home LaLiga campaign. It also marked a return to the Santiago Bernabéu for José Mourinho more than 13 years after his previous home match in charge of the club.
The match was defined by the contrast between Madrid’s uncertain first-half display and their response after the break, when they turned a level score into a three-goal win.
For more details, read the match report from the Straits Times.