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MADRID: Kylian Mbappé got off to a scoring start in his second season with Real Madrid, leading the team to a 1-0 victory over Osasuna in their Spanish league opener Tuesday.
Mbappé, the leading scorer in his debut with Madrid last season, converted a 51st-minute penalty kick to give the hosts the victory. A nice run by Mbappé through the right side of the area, followed by a neat cutback move, prompted the foul.
The goal gave new coach Xabi Alonso a winning debut in his first full season with the club. The former Madrid player arrived before the Club World Cup to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who left to take the Brazil job.
“It was special to be back here as a coach, unforgettable,” Alonso said. “Hopefully it was the first of many victories celebrated here.”
Alonso started the match with three of the club’s new signings for the season — left back Álvaro Carreras, right back Trent Alexander-Arnold and central defender Dean Huijsen. Teenage forward Franco Mastantuono came off the bench to replace Brahim Díaz in the 68th, being loudly cheered by the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Some fans had not been happy after the former River Plate player praised Lionel Messi — the fellow Argentine who was a star at rival Barcelona — during his introductory news conference.
The 18-year-old Mastantuono had a chance to score in the 89th, but his shot from inside the area was saved by the Osasuna goalkeeper.
“They all did well,” Alonso said of the newcomers. “They are players who will be helping us for years. None of them felt the pressure of the Madrid jersey or of the Bernabeu.”
Osasuna defender Abel Bretones was sent off in stoppage time with a straight red card for a high arm to block Madrid forward Gonzalo García.
“They dominated, we knew it was going to be like that,” Osasuna midfielder Rubén García said. “We played a good game but couldn’t get too close to their goal. In the end, they deserved the victory.”
Madrid forward Rodrygo stayed on the bench the whole match, intensifying speculation of a possible transfer.
The game was played Tuesday instead of last weekend along with the rest of opening matches because Madrid’s players needed more rest following the team’s participation at the Club World Cup. Madrid’s attempt to delay its debut even further was denied by the league.
Madrid controlled possession — more than 70 percent — but struggled to break through the tight Osasuna defense early, threatening with a few long-range shots.
“There were positives, beginning with the result,” Alonso said. “We still need a few things that will give us stability to keep progressing.”
Mbappé had one of Madrid’s best first-half chances with a curling shot from inside the area that just missed the top corner, but finally broke through with the winner early in the second half as Madrid continued to press forward. He sent a low shot from the spot into the right side of the net as the goalkeeper dived the other way.
Barcelona began its title defense with a comfortable 3-0 win at nine-man Mallorca on Saturday, while Atletico Madrid squandered a late lead in a 2-1 loss at Espanyol on Sunday.
Madrid was runner-up to Barcelona in the Spanish league last season. Osasuna finished ninth.

CAIRNS, Australia: Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj dismantled Australia with a career-best 5-33 as South Africa romped to a 98-run victory in the first one-day international on Tuesday.

Maharaj made full use of spin-friendly conditions to help dismiss Australia for 198 with more than nine overs to spare after South Africa had earlier posted 296-8 — the highest ODI total at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh made 88 off 96 balls and Ben Dwarshuis scored 33, but Maharaj had done enough damage in his unchanged spell of 10 overs to give the Proteas a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Travis Head (27) gave Australia an explosive start of 60-0 in the first seven overs when the left-hander smashed fast bowler Nandre Burger for five boundaries in one over.

But in a dramatic turnaround, the home team lost six wickets — five to Maharaj — for the addition of only 29 runs as Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma turned to his slow bowlers inside the batting power play. Australia went from 60-0 to 89-6.

Debutant off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen (1-46) had Head stumped off his seventh ball in ODIs before Maharaj removed five batters for single digits.

Maharaj had Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey trapped leg before wicket while Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie were clean bowled off deliveries that spun enough to beat the bat.

Marsh and Dwarshuis resisted with a 71-run stand but Lungi Ngidi (2-28) and Burger (2-54) wrapped up the tail quickly after Maharaj and Subrayen’s impeccable spells.

After losing the toss, three half centuries from the top four batters powered South Africa on a wicket where spinners ruled with part-time offspinner Head claiming 4-57, his second four-wicket haul in ODIs.

Aiden Markram (82), Bavuma (65) and Matthew Breetzke (57) all scored 50-plus before Australia came back strongly in the death overs with Head claiming three of his four wickets in the last 10 overs.

Ryan Rickelton (33) survived a number of close calls, including a dropped catch by wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, as he put on a 92-run opening wicket stand with Markram. Rickelton’s luck ended when he holed out to Labuschagne at mid off that gave Head his first wicket.

Markram looked set for his first century in the last 20 ODIs, but the right-hander played a loose drive against Dwarshuis and was caught behind in the 24th over.

Bavuma, playing his first international since leading South Africa to victory in the World Test Championship final, struggled to get going but Breetzke found boundaries against Australia’s third spinner Labuschagne.

Breetzke raised his run-a-ball half century but just when it looked like South Africa would finish off well he top-edged a slog sweep against Adam Zampa to Hardie at deep square leg.

Head then got the big wickets of power-hitter Tristan Stubbs and debutant Dewald Brevis in the space of three balls. Brevis smashed the spinner for a first-ball six in his ODI career before perishing off the next ball when he couldn’t clear Carey at long off.