Mbappé scores then limps off as Real Madrid beats Villarreal to top La Liga

MADRID (AP) — Vinícius Júnior struck twice and Kylian Mbappé scored before going off injured as Real Madrid beat third-placed Villarreal 3-1 to move on top of La Liga on Saturday.

Moments after scoring in the 81st minute, Mbappé sat down and clutched his right ankle. The France star then made a gesture with his hands to signal he could not continue. Following brief treatment he walked off unassisted and went straight down the tunnel.

The win moved Madrid two points above defending champion Barcelona, which can reclaim the lead with a win at Sevilla on Sunday but is missing star winger Lamine Yamal with a pubic injury.

Vinícius netted in the 47th when he cut in from the left and his low strike clipped the heel of Santi Comesaña before wrong-footing goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.

Vinícius netted from the penalty spot in the 69th after being barged over. Mbappé is Madrid's usual penalty taker but let him have it, and Vinícius squeezed a tame shot under the body of Tenas as he guessed correctly.

Villarreal winger Georges Mikautadze pulled a goal back with a fine shot past Courtois from 20 meters.

But the hard work was undone when defender Santiago Mouriño was sent off four minutes later for a second yellow card following a foul on Vinícius.

Villarreal then lost the ball carelessly and Mbappé swapped passes with Brahim Díaz before guiding in his 14th goal in 10 games.

Struggling Girona picked up a much-needed win after holding on to beat Valencia 2-1 to move off the bottom.

Girona midfielder Iván Martín was sent off in the 80th for a second yellow card and his teammates kept out Valencia in 10 minutes of stoppage time.

Ukrainian striker Vladyslav Vanat put Girona ahead from outside the penalty area. Diego López equalized in the second half but Girona regained the lead shortly after through Arnau Martínez following a set-piece.

Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao moved up to fifth place with a scrappy 2-1 win against Mallorca, which dropped to last.

Striker Iñaki Williams drew the foul and converted a penalty for Bilbao early.

After Samú Costa equalized in the second half, midfielder Alejandro Rego’s goal restored the lead five minutes later. Mallorca's Antonio Sánchez was sent off in the last minute.

Levante scored in each half in a 2-0 win at Oviedo.

Right winger Carlos Álvarez pounced in the 30th with a shot into the top left corner from Manu Sánchez’s cross.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, left, and Eder Militao, right, challenge as Villarreal's Tani Oluwaseyi shoots on goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, centre, celebrates with Vinicius Junior, left, and Brahim Diaz after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Graham Ike scored 20 points, Tyon Grant-Foster had 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, and No. 19 Gonzaga outlasted Arizona State 77-65 on Friday night.

The Bulldogs (4-0) opened the season with three lopsided wins, but had a much tougher time in their first road game.

Up 13 at halftime, Gonzaga struggled offensively through most of the second half as the aggressive Sun Devils (2-1) trimmed the margin to five. The Zags kept Arizona State at bay behind their defense and consecutive 3-pointers by former Sun Devils guard Adam Miller that pushed the lead to 67-52.

Moe Odum led Arizona State with 12 points.

Gonzaga got off to a shaky start, unable to get its free-flowing offense going. With coach Mark Few telling them to settle down, the Zags finally got into a rhythm.

Gonzaga tightened up its defense — ASU missed 10 of 11 shots — to get out in transition and used half-court movement to get open shots.

The combination turned a five-point deficit into a 30-20 lead for Gonzaga that stretched to 45-32 by halftime.

The Sun Devils took their turn ratcheting up the defense to start the second half.

With Arizona State pressuring up high and cutting off the lanes, Gonzaga missed 11 of its first 13 shots as the Sun Devils pulled to 49-44.

Arizona State couldn't keep it up, though.

Coach Bobby Hurley got one of Arizona State's two technical fouls and the Sun Devils didn't hit a shot for more than five minutes. ASU still managed to keep it within reach until Miller's consecutive 3s with 5 1/2 minutes left.

Gonzaga plays No. 8 Alabama in Las Vegas on Nov. 24.

Arizona State hosts Georgia State on Monday.

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Gonzaga forward Emmanuel Innocenti (5) shoots over Arizona State forward Andrija Grbovic, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)