Vinícius helps Madrid fight back for win over Mallorca, Atletico remains winless in La Liga

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Vinícius Júnior and Arda Güler scored back-to-back goals to help Real Madrid rally for a 2-1 win over Mallorca and make it three wins in as many games in the Spanish league on Saturday.

Xabi Alonso’s team saw three newcomers make key plays in the victory at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Mallorca struck first when Vedat Muriqi muscled Dean Huijsen out of the way to reach a corner kick by Pablo Torre, redirecting the cross with the back of his shoulder past Thibaut Courtois in the 18th minute.

The 20-year-old Huijsen played a part in leveling in the 37th. The new Madrid central defender headed a cross from a set piece across the goalmouth for Güler to smash home.

Vinícius only needed another minute to put Madrid in front after Mallorca lost the ball in midfield. The Brazil forward had room to romp forward before cutting back to his left foot and firing in his second goal of the campaign.

Mallorca pressed for the equalizer in an open second half. Midfielder Sergi Darder came close to delivering a ball for a teammate in front of the goal, only for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Madrid in June, to slide in and disrupt his pass.

Madrid’s new left back Álvaro Carreras then did well to turn toward the goal and stretch his leg to block a blistering, goal-bound strike by Samu Costa.

Kylian Mbappé, who had scored three goals in the first two rounds, had two goals waived off for offside.

Alexander-Arnold started as right back for Madrid, after he had been replaced in the starting 11 by Dani Carvajal in the last round of games. Rodrygo, rumored to possibly be on the move to the Premier League, came on for Vinícius in the second half.

Atletico Madrid’s frustration deepened after Diego Simeone’s side drew 1-1 at Alaves to remain winless this season.

Atletico was already having its worst start to La Liga in 14 seasons under Simeone after it lost 2-1 at Espanyol and drew 1-1 at home with promoted Elche.

The stumble at Alaves will send Atletico into the international break with two points out of a possible nine, and that after the club spent big this summer to revamp a squad with hopes of challenging for trophies.

Giuliano Simeone scored for Atletico in the seventh minute, using his speed to scramble the ball past two defenders and fire home a deflected shot.

But Atletico’s usually vaunted defense again let the lead slip.

Carlos Vicente equalized for host Alaves in the 14th from the penalty spot after Alexander Sorloth fouled Nahuel Tenaglia in the area.

Oviedo beat Real Sociedad 1-0 for its first victory since returning to the first division with Leander Dendoncker scoring in the first half.

Sevilla beat Girona 2-0 to keep the Catalan team bottom of the table with three losses.

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Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe gestures during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Mallorca in Madrid, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Mallorca in Madrid, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Arda Guler scores his side's first goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Mallorca in Madrid, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, scores his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Mallorca in Madrid, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Mallorca in Madrid, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Police in Ohio's capital city said Wednesday that they have gathered enough evidence to link a man charged in the double homicide of his ex-wife and her husband in their Columbus home last month to the killings.

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said in an Associated Press interview that authorities now believe Michael David McKee, 39, a vascular surgeon who was living in Chicago, was the person seen walking down a dark alley near Monique and Spencer Tepe's home in video footage from the night of the murders. His vehicle has also been identified traveling near the house, and a firearm found in his Illinois residence also traced to evidence at the scene, she said.

An attorney representing McKee could not be identified through court listings.

His arrest Saturday capped off nearly two weeks of speculation surrounding the mysterious killings that attracted national attention. No obvious signs of forced entry were found at the Tepes’ home. Police also said no weapon was found there, and murder-suicide was not suspected. Further, nothing was stolen, and the couple’s two young children and their dog were left unharmed in the home.

“What we can tell you is that we have evidence linking the vehicle that he was driving to the crime scene. We also have evidence of him coming and going in that particular vehicle,” Bryant told the AP. “What I can also share with you is that there were multiple firearms taken from the property of McKee, and one of those firearms did match preliminarily from a NIBIN (ballistic) hit back to this actual homicide.”

Bryant said that the department wants the public to keep the tips coming. Investigators were able to follow up on every phone call, email and private tip shared from the community to the department and some of that information allowed them to gather enough evidence to make an arrest, she said.

That work culminated in the apprehension of McKee in Rockford, Illinois, where the hospital where he worked — OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center — has said it is cooperating with the investigation. He has been charged with premeditated aggravated murder in the shooting deaths. Monique Tepe, who divorced McKee in 2017, was 39. Her husband, a dentist whose absence from work that morning prompted the first call to police, was 37.

McKee waived his right to an extradition hearing on Monday during an appearance in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Winnebago County, Illinois, where he remains in jail. Bryant said officials are working out details of his return to Ohio, with no exact arrival date set. His next hearing in Winnebago County is scheduled for Jan. 23.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said Wednesday that the city doesn't prioritize high-profile cases any more than others, noting that the city's closure rate on criminal cases exceeds the national average. The city also celebrated in 2025 its lowest level of homicides and violent crime since 2007, Ginther said.

“Every case matters. Ones that receive national attention, and those that don’t,” he told the AP. “Every family deserves closure and for folks to be held accountable, and the rest of the community deserves to be safe when dangerous people are taken off the street.”

Ginther said it is vital for central Ohioans to continue to grieve with the Tepes' family, which includes two young children, and loved ones, as they cope with “such an unimaginable loss.”

“I want our community to wrap our arms around this family and these children for years to come,” he said.

This undated booking photo provided by the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, shows Michael David McKee, who was charged in the killing of his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her husband Spencer Tepe at their Columbus, Ohio, home on Dec. 30, 2025. (Winnebago County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Spencer and Monique Tepe's home in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)

This image taken from video shows Michael David McKee walking into the courtroom on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Rockford, Ill. (WIFR News/Pool Photo via AP)