Kylian Mbappe finally found his scoring touch in La Liga, netting a brace to lead Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory over Real Betis on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The French superstar, who had failed to score in Madrid’s first three league matches, broke the deadlock in the 67th minute with a clinical finish after a sublime back-heel assist from Federico Valverde.
Just eight minutes later, Mbappe doubled his tally from the penalty spot after Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva fouled Vinicius Junior inside the box. The goal was initially disallowed for offside, but a VAR review overturned the decision and Mbappe made no mistake from 12 yards.
Mbappe’s beaming expression at the final whistle was in stark contrast to the growing criticism he had faced in the Spanish media for his goalless start to the league campaign.
However, coach Carlo Ancelotti remained steadfast in his support for the 25-year-old, insisting that Mbappe was settling in well and contributing to the team in other ways.
“It’s a great moment,” Mbappe told Spanish television after the match. “I was really hoping to score at the Bernabeu, in this mythical stadium, the best in the world. But the most important thing was to win.”
The victory moves Real Madrid up to second in the La Liga table on eight points, four behind early leaders Barcelona who thrashed Real Valladolid 7-0 on Saturday. Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are also on eight points, sitting third and fourth respectively.
Mbappe’s match-winning performance will undoubtedly boost his confidence as he looks to spearhead Real Madrid’s charge for silverware this season.
With his first La Liga goals now under his belt, the French international will be hoping to kick on and establish himself as one of the league’s most prolific strikers.
