LALIGA
Bale continues Anoeta scoring run in Real Madrid victory
Real Madrid kicked off their LaLiga campaign by beating Real Sociedad in San Sebastián - where Gareth Bale was on target yet again.
Real Madrid's victory away to Real Sociedad in their LaLiga opener saw Gareth Bale begin his fourth season with the club by scoring on a ground where he's always enjoyed good fortunes in front of goal.
The 27-year-old had found the net on each of his previous three trips to face the Txuri-Urdin at Anoeta - and on Sunday he extended that record, notching twice to take his tally to five in four in San Sebastián. Here's a look at each of his strikes:
Bale makes Bravo pay for howler
In 2013/14, his maiden campaign at Madrid, Bale took advantage of a calamitous error from then La Real goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to grab Los Blancos' second in a 4-0 win. Midway through the second half, Bravo's misjudged clearance fell straight to the Welshman, who clinically punished the mistake from 25 yards.
Stunning solo goal in defeat
In the second week of the following season, Bale was on target once again in San Sebastián, appearing to leave Madrid coasting to victory with a fine individual effort that put Los Merengues 2-0 up after just 10 minutes.
Receiving the ball from Luka Modric, the 'Cardiff Express' bamboozled defender Gorka Elustondo with a nutmeg inside the area before firing low past Eñaut Zubikarai. However, his solo strike proved in vain as the hosts turned the match on its head to run out 4-2 winners.
Match-winning header
Last term, with the LaLiga run-in reaching its climax, Bale proved the hero as he headed in Lucas Vázquez's 80th-minute cross, his 19th league goal of the campaign handing Zinedine Zidane's title-chasing side all three points in the teams' week 36 encounter.
Brace as Real make victorious Primera División start
And this weekend Bale took just 72 seconds to score at Anoeta, bulleting in an early header from Dani Carvajal's cross to set his side on their way to a convincing LaLiga week 1 triumph in the Basque Country. In time added on, he rounded keeper Gerónimo Rulli to grab his second of the match and seal a 3-0 result.
