Bale scores as Real Madrid set new record

Real Madrid won for the first time in three La Liga games as a Kevin Rodrigues own goal helped the champions to a 3-1 win and ended Real Sociedad's perfect start to the season at the Anoeta.

Rodriguez slid in to plant the ball past his own goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Borja Mayoral's low cross, just seconds after having headed against Keylor Navas' crossbar at the other end.

Real Madrid had led after 28 minutes when Mayoral crashed home his first goal for the club from a Sergio Ramos tee-up, only for Rodrigues to cancel out the goal when his powerful drive slipped through Navas' fingers.

Gareth Bale raced away from Sociedad to score a sublime third after the break for Real Madrid as Zinedine Zidane's side recovered their form to rise to fourth.

Real were seeking to make it 73 consecutive games in all competitions in which they had scored and that record was upheld after 19 minutes when 19-year-old full-back Theo Hernandez crossed for Sergio Ramos to tee-up an attempted overhead kick, only for Mayoral to romp through the middle and score.

Mayoral was a surprise inclusion for Zidane as Real looked to cope without a host of first-team regulars, including the suspended Christian Ronaldo and the injured Karim Benzema, and the youngster didn't disappoint in making the most of a rare start with a finely taken goal.

The lead was short-lived though as within minutes Sociedad right-back Alvaro Odriozola sent a reaching cross deep to the far post where Rodrigues was waiting unmarked to send a sweetly struck volley past Navas, who allowed the ball to slip through his hands.

Sociedad were inches from taking the lead when Rodriquez rose to plant a header back across goal and against the face of Navas' crossbar but 23 seconds later the hosts were behind, Mayoral breaking into the box and crossing low for the desperate Rodrigues, who had sprinted the length of the pitch to help his team's defensive effort, to slide the ball past his own goalkeeper.

Asensio was at the heart of everything Real did going forward, seemingly gliding through Sociedad at will at times. In the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo his body language is that of a player who is ready to take responsibility as the team's principal attacking fulcrum.

Real Madrid have set a new club record of 11 La Liga away wins in succession. They have scored 38 goals in those 11 wins.

Source: Sky Sports