Isak scores again as Sociedad beats Athletic in Basque derby

MADRID (AP) — Young Sweden striker Alexander Isak added to his impressive scoring run by netting an 83rd-minute winner in Real Sociedad’s 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Basque Country derby on Sunday.

It was the eighth goal in the last six games for the 20-year-old Isak, who had a brace in the team’s stunning 4-3 away win against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday.

Athletic Bilbao also was coming off a surprising victory in the Copa quarterfinals, eliminating Barcelona 1-0 at home.

Cristian “Portu” Portugués put the hosts ahead in the Spanish league game in the 65th, with Iñaki Williams equalizing for Athletic six minutes later.

Athletic’s Iker Muniain was sent off with a straight red card for a hard foul in the 89th.

It was the fourth Sociedad win in the last five Basque Country derbies.

Both teams had struggled in the league recently, with Athletic entering the weekend winless in seven consecutive games and Sociedad having lost three of its last four matches.

The victory moved Sociedad to sixth place, while Athletic stayed ninth.

ESPANYOL’S HOME WIN

Espanyol beat Mallorca 1-0 for its first home win of the season.

Striker Raúl de Tomás netted a 58th-minute winner to end the team’s winless run at RCDE Stadium, where it had lost seven matches and drawn four.

De Tomás, Espanyol’s most expensive transfer after joining from Benfica in January, has scored in each of his first five matches with the Barcelona club.

The victory temporarily moved Espanyol out of the bottom of the standings. It has a point more than last-place Celta, which hosts fifth-place Sevilla later Sunday.

It was the fourth consecutive loss in all competitions for Mallorca, which sits just outside the relegation zone.

Spanish league leader Real Madrid visits midtable Osasuna later Sunday, while second-place Barcelona plays at Real Betis.