Bale fires Real Madrid to opening win
A Gareth Bale brace and a Marco Asensio lob helped
Real Madrid make light work of Real Sociedad,
running out 3-0 winners at Anoeta in their opening
game of the season in La Liga.
Bale was the only member of the renowned ‘BBC’
forward line who was fit enough to play in
Sunday’s game, as Zinedine Zidane’s team travelled
to San Sebastian in the midst of an injury crisis,
with five regular starters unable to make the squad.
As well as star forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and
Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Keylor Navas and
Pepe were also ruled out, but it didn’t stop Madrid
earning a convincing win at a notoriously tricky
venue.
Bale was picked despite having appeared in just one
friendly in pre-season, but the Welshman got
Madrid off to a flying start, leaping into the air to
powerfully nod home Dani Carvajal’s tempting
cross in only the second minute.
Kiko Casilla had to be quick off his line at the other
end after a short back-pass by Raphael Varane,
hacking the ball to safety under pressure.
Alvaro Morata nearly scored his first goal since
returning to Real Madrid but, after a clever dribble,
his strike was deflected behind for a corner.
A Toni Kroos effort met the same fate, with
goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli quick to get down to tip
the German’s drilled strike behind.
Real Sociedad had a good opportunity to level on
the half-hour mark, but former Madrid man Asier
Illarramendi opted to pass to Juanmi instead of
shooting when well placed and the ball didn’t reach
his team-mate.
It was an end-to-end affair, with Morata denied
again by Rulli, while youngster Asensio, picked
ahead of James Rodriguez and Isco, continued to
bewilder defenders with his quick feet on his first
start in La Liga for the European champions.
The forward scored Madrid’s second goal in the
40th minute with an effortless lob after he was sent
through on Rulli’s goal by Varane’s pass, scooping
the ball over the stopper with ease.
Morata was seeing a lot of the ball in the second
half but was foiled at every turn, being booked for
diving in the area before his shot was saved and
Kroos cracked the rebound against Rulli’s crossbar.
The goalkeeper was called into action to tip a Mateo
Kovacic piledriver wide as Madrid continued to turn
the screw, although despite their dominance they
could not stretch their lead until Bale ran through,
rounded Rulli and squeezed the ball home with the
last kick of the game.
Atletico Madrid entertain promoted Alaves in the
late game on Sunday, while Sporting Gijon earlier
beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1.
Champions Barcelona opened their campaign in
style on Saturday by beating Betis 6-2 with Luis
Suarez scoring a hat-trick and Lionel Messi netting
twice.
Luciano Vietto scoring twice for the hosts and fellow
summer signings Pablo Sarabia, Franco Vazquez,
Wissam Ben Yedder and Hiroshi Kiyotake also on
target.
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