Real equals record for successive wins

Real Madrid brushed off the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to beat Espanyol 2-0 away and maintain its 100 percent start to the league season while matching the La Liga record of 16 consecutive victories.

James Rodriguez scored his first Real goal in five months to give the visitor the lead in stoppage time before the break and Karim Benzema sealed the points in the 70th minute with a close-range finish past former Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez.

Athletic Bilbao beat Valencia 2-1 to pile more pressure on the visitor's beleaguered coach Pako Ayesteran, Villarreal downed Real Sociedad 2-1 thanks to a sensational 50-yard strike from Nicola Sansone, while Celta Vigo drew 0-0 at Osasuna.