By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: 12:27 EDT, 20 September 2025 | Updated: 12:27 EDT, 20 September 2025
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Kylian Mbappé and Éder Militão scored from well outside the area to help Real Madrid ease past Espanyol 2-0 in La Liga on Saturday, dealing the Barcelona-based side its first loss.
Espanyol gave Militão a smidgen of space and the Brazil defender fired a right-footed screamer into the top corner in the 22nd minute. A diving Marko Dmitrovic got his fingers on the ball but couldn´t stop the powerful strike.
It was Mbappé´s turn in the 47th when he had time to pick a spot in the bottom corner and smashed a strike that Dmitrovic could only watch nestle into the net.
Mbappé has seven goals in six games for Madrid this season, including a double in its 2-1 win over Marseille to start the Champions League on Tuesday.
Madrid moved five points clear of Espanyol and Barcelona, which hosts fifth-placed Getafe at its 6,000-seat Estadi Johan Cruyff on Sunday.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham went on as a substitute for the final minutes in his first appearance since he underwent an operation on his left shoulder on July 16.
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Espanyol's goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic misses the opening goal by Real Madrid's Eder Militao, bottom sixth from the left, during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, and Espanyol's Fernando Calero challenge for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Eder Militao, left, celebrates with Kylian Mbappe after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)