Real narrowly beat Betis as Barca cruise past Sevilla in La Liga

MADRID: Real Madrid ended Betis' 100 per cent start of the season in La Liga with a 2-1 win in the Santiago Bernabeu.

Vinicius Jr opened the scoring for Real Madrid after just nine minutes late on Saturday and Betis suffered a stroke of bad luck shortly afterwards when playmaker Nabil Fekir was forced off injured.

Sergio Canales' crisp finish levelled the score in the 17th minute, but Rodrygo won the game for Real Madrid in the 65th minute.

The Brazilian took a pass from Fede Valverde to score from inside the penalty area and he was unlucky not to score his second of the game five minutes later, when his shot hit the post, Xinhua reports.

FC Barcelona survived a difficult opening 20 minutes away to Sevilla before running out as comfortable 3-0 winners.

Raphinha put Barca ahead in the 21st minute, nodding home from close range after Robert Lewandowski's lob over Sevilla goalkeeper Bono had been cleared off the line.

Once ahead Barca was in complete control, and Lewandowski doubled the lead in the 36th minute when he volleyed home after being given too much time and space to control a cross from former Sevilla defender Jules Kounde.

Kounde provided another assist five minutes after the break as he headed down for Eric Garcia to score after a Raphinha cross.

Real Sociedad's new signing Umar Sadiq started to pay back his 20 million euros transfer fee when he headed home the second half equaliser to give his side a 1-1 draw at home to Atletico Madrid.

Alvaro Morata put Atletico ahead in the fifth minute after Yannick Carrasco's corner bounced back off the post and later had a goal ruled out for offside in an entertaining game that either side could have won.

Worryingly for Atletico, goalkeeper Jan Oblak had to be taken off in the second half with a possible groin injury and is a doubt for next week's Champions League.

Antonio Raillo must have thought he had given Mallorca all three points when he put them ahead in the 87th minute at home to Girona, but Samu Saiz levelled from the penalty spot in the first minute of injury time to save a point for the visitors.

On Friday, Iago Aspas took his goal tally of the season to five after scoring twice in Celta Vigo's 3-0 win at home to Cadiz.

Oscar netted Celta's second goal of the match, with Aspas opening and closing the scoring against a rival with four defeats from four games and without a goal all season.