22/09/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | SEPT 22, 2025

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Real maintain 100% record Mbappe on target as Madrid defeat Espanyol I N-FORM striker Kylian Mbappe netted again as Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-0 yesterday to extend their lead at the top of La Liga. England international Jude Bellingham made a late appearance as a substitute in the final stages, his first since undergoing shoulder surgery in the summer. “We’re leaving as leaders, we’re still at the top of the table and our objective was completed.” stitute him later but I wanted to bring in fresh play ers on the wing,” said Alonso.

“The same thing happened with (Franco) Mastantuono. He wanted to stay on but it was about taking control and we needed fresh players. “Franco also left a little angry but it happens to everyone, I’m happy with Vini’s performance and with Franco’s.” Alonso also brought on Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga for their first games of the sea son in the final stages of a comfortable afternoon for Real Madrid. “It’s good news for everyone, for the team and of course for them,” said Alonso. “We need them, they’re top-class players and with the calendar we’ve got coming we need every one.” – AFP

Mbappe, who netted twice from the penalty spot in midweek as Madrid started their Champions League campaign with a win over Marseille, helped Alonso’s team maintain their 100% record across all com petitions. His goal effectively killed the game after Militao had sent Madrid ahead. Alonso brought Vinicius Junior back into the side and gave young striker Gonzalo Garcia a rare start in an attacking line-up. Espanyol have not beaten Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu since 1996 but have started this season well, arriving in the capi tal third. However their visit to face Los Blancos was a reality check and Madrid were com fortably on top throughout. Despite their dominance it took a fero cious drive into the top left corner from long range by centre-back Militao to break the deadlock.

“We can’t be doing any better,” Madrid defender Dani Carvajal told Real Madrid TV . “The good thing is we’re getting better at playing in the way the coach wants, under standing the concepts and the results are coming with that.” Carvajal was happy

Xabi Alonso’s Madrid have won all five of their opening league fixtures and French superstar Mbappe has netted five goals in the top flight. Eder Militao opened the scoring with a screamer from distance after 22 minutes and Mbappe buried the second from outside the box early in the second half.

with the team’s dis play, with Madrid showing more defensive solidity than at many times last season. “I think the per formance was complete and we suffered very little in a defensive sense,” continued Carvajal.

21/09/2025 (SUN)

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Draw Date: 21/09/25 (Sun)

Draw No: 5971/25 Venue: WISMA GENTING, KL

Mbappe fired narrowly wide after good work by Vinicius before half-time. The Brazilian has been benched on a couple of occasions by

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i n g below his best, although he set up Mbappe for the

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second. After driving forward with the ball Vinicius laid it off to Mbappe, who flashed a shot past Marko Dmitrovic at the near post from range. Vinicius hit the post after Espanyol’s Serbian goalkeeper made a fine double save from Mbappe, and was then replaced by Rodrygo Goes. The winger did not appear happy after being taken off in the 77th min ute. “Today he didn’t have the fin ish… I took him off when he was at his best, I could have waited to sub after their shock home defeat to newly-pro moted Cremonese in their season opener and moved them above Napoli on goals scored, if only for 48 hours. Earlier, Bologna came from a goal down to beat Patrick Vieira’s Genoa 2-1 with a last gasp penalty. Kane hits another hattrick HARRY KANE scored his second Bundesliga hattrick of the season as Bayern Munich downed Hoffenheim 4-1 yesterday, while Hamburg won in the top flight for the first time in seven years. Man of the match with two goals in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Chelsea in the Champions League, the England captain kept up his prolific form in a heavily rotated Bayern side. Hoffenheim’s Vladimir Coufal got his side on the board late on when his free-kick was deflected in but former Hoffenheim forward Serge Gnabry added a fourth in stoppage time to seal Bayern’s seventh win in seven matches this season in all competitions. “Hattrick Harry is what they called me in school,” Kane told DAZN , “that one kind of stuck when I was younger. “Any ball in the box, whether penalty or not, I back myself to hit the target.”

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Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his second goal during the match against Espanyol. – AFPPIC

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Juventus go top, Milan cruise JUVENTUS drew 1-1 at Verona yesterday to climb provisionally top of Serie A while AC Milan closed to within a point of the Turin giants with a 3-0 success at Udinese. Igor Tudor’s men were bidding to main tain a perfect start to the domestic cam paign and got off the mark in the 19th min ute through a long-range effort from Francisco Conceicao. Hosts Verona drew level before the break when Gift Orban converted a penalty, and believed they were on for their first win of the season when Suat Serdar headed home in the second half, only to be defied by VAR after an offside in the build-up. Juve’s Tudor described the decision to award Verona a penalty as “incomprehensi ble” while he also felt that Orban should have been sent off for an elbow on Federico Gatti. “We lacked energy, but I have nothing to reproach my players for, they gave every thing they had,” said Tudor. Christian Pulisic was the star for Milan, scoring a brace while French midfielder Youssouf Fofana notched the other goal. It was a third straight victory for Milan

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