In a thrilling match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Kylian Mbappe ignited Real Madrid’s offense by breaking his La Liga scoring drought, leading the team to a 2-0 victory over Real Betis on Sunday.
After a series of challenging league games without a goal, Mbappe found the net not once but twice in less than ten minutes, demonstrating why he is considered one of the world’s elite forwards. His first goal came in the 67th minute when he received a clever backheel pass from Federico Valverde, allowing Mbappe to slot a low left-footed shot past the Betis goalkeeper.
“I was looking forward to scoring in this legendary stadium, the best in the world,” Mbappe shared after the match. “But the most important thing was the victory.”
Mbappe doubled the lead in the 75th minute by calmly converting a penalty kick awarded after Vinicius Junior was fouled inside the area. The brace marked his first goals in La Liga since joining Madrid, ending what fans hoped would not become a prolonged dry spell.
Real Madrid had drawn two of their first three league matches, with their only previous win against Valladolid. This victory propels the defending champions to within four points of league leaders Barcelona, who have won all four of their opening games.
“After the game against Las Palmas, we knew that we had to win, and we did it,” Mbappe stated. “It was a tough match, but we are Real Madrid, and in the end, we won it.”
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti praised Mbappe’s performance, dismissing any concerns over the forward’s recent form. “For him, it was important to score, but we evaluate the work of the team as a whole, which was better than in the previous match. It was a step forward,” Ancelotti commented.
The match kept Real Betis winless after three games under coach Manuel Pellegrini, who had previously secured draws in their opening fixtures. Betis introduced young Brazilian forward Vitor Roque in the second half, currently on loan from Madrid’s rivals Barcelona, but he couldn’t turn the tide for the Seville club.
Real Madrid’s defense also shone, not conceding in their last five league games at the Bernabeu—a feat not achieved since 1996. The team remains unbeaten in 26 home league matches under Ancelotti, boasting 22 wins and four draws.
Despite a less than stellar start to the season with five points from three games, mirroring their 2019-20 campaign when they won the league, the victory over Betis signals a positive trajectory for Los Blancos as they aim to defend their title.
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Kylian Mbappe ends La Liga scoring drought for Real to beat Betis
cgtn.com
