David Beckham scored on his return after a month on the sidelines to inspire Real Madrid to a 2-1 comeback win at Real Sociedad in the Primera Liga on Saturday.

The former England captain netted his third league goal of the season when he sent a 25-metre free kick skidding under goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and inside the far post to cancel out an early header from Sociedad midfielder Mikel Aranburu.

Beckham's former Manchester United colleague Ruud van Nistelrooy grabbed the winner three minutes after the break when he headed in a cross from right back Miguel Torres.

It was the first time in 11 outings Real had scored more than one goal in a game.

The victory, coming after back-to-back defeats by Levante and Villarreal, lifted Real to third place in the table with 41 points from 22 games.

It also eased the pressure on coach Fabio Capello, who backtracked on his decision to leave out Beckham following the midfielder's announcement last month that he would be joining Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the season.

"I'm happy he scored a goal from a free kick as he hasn't scored many this season," Capello told reporters. "He played a great game today."

Sociedad remain one point off the bottom and eight from safety with all their immediate rivals yet to play this weekend.

MISSED CHANCE

Sevilla missed the chance to take over from Barcelona at the top when they were held to a 0-0 draw by city rivals Real Betis in Saturday's late match.

Juande Ramos's side, unstoppable before the Christmas break, have now won just one of six league games this year.

The draw keeps them in second spot, level on 43 points with Barca who host Racing Santander on Sunday.

Betis striker Robert spurned the chance to give Luis Fernandez's side the lead when he skied an 11th-minute penalty over the bar after Fernando appeared to dive in the area.

The Brazilian missed another opportunity to put his side ahead when he was put clear late on in the game, but he fired straight at Sevilla keeper Andres Palop.

Beckham, in the starting lineup for only the sixth time this season, hardly got a touch before his team fell behind after an uncharacteristic error from Iker Casillas.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper misjudged a deep seventh-minute cross from Xabi Prieto, palmed the ball into the path of Aranburu and the midfielder headed home.

Madrid barely threatened in the opening half hour but got a break when Emerson was fouled and Beckham, who last appeared for the club as a substitute in the 2-0 defeat by Deportivo Coruna on Jan. 7, drove in the 37th-minute free kick.

Van Nistelrooy put Real ahead early in the second half but the visitors then had to weather a storm of attacks, with Prieto going close and Casillas making a superb reflex save soon after.