Kylian Mbappé finally broke his La Liga scoring drought for Real Madrid, netting a crucial double in a 2-0 victory over Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday. The French superstar, who had faced criticism for his lack of goals in the league, ended his 337-minute scoreless streak in spectacular fashion.Mbappé’s first goal came in the 67th minute, courtesy of a brilliant assist from Federico Valverde. The forward then sealed the win with a penalty in the 75th minute after Vinícius Júnior was fouled in the box by Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva.After the match, a visibly relieved Mbappé said, “It’s a great moment. I was really hoping to score at the Bernabéu, in this mythical stadium, the best in the world. But the most important thing was to win”.Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who had consistently defended Mbappé amid mounting pressure, praised the forward’s performance. “He was very effective in the box, he had many opportunities. I think it is important for him to score, but we appreciate more the work for the team,” Ancelotti stated.The victory propelled Real Madrid to second place in the La Liga table with 8 points, now trailing leaders Barcelona by four points. The win also extended Real Madrid’s unbeaten run at the Bernabéu to five consecutive league games without conceding, a feat the club hasn’t achieved in the competition since 1996.Despite the positive result, Real Madrid’s performance, particularly in the first half, drew some criticism for its lack of intensity. However, the team’s second-half resurgence, sparked by Mbappé’s goals and contributions from players like Ibrahim Diaz off the bench, demonstrated the squad’s depth and potential.As Real Madrid heads into the international break, they will look to build on this momentum and close the gap with Barcelona. Their next challenge in La Liga will be an away fixture against Real Sociedad on September 14.
Key points
- Kylian Mbappé scored his first two La Liga goals for Real Madrid in a 2-0 win over Real Betis.
- The victory moved Real Madrid to second place in La Liga, four points behind leaders Barcelona.
- Real Madrid extended their unbeaten run at the Bernabéu to five consecutive league games without conceding, a feat not achieved since 1996.
Contradictions👾There is a slight discrepancy in the reported points gap between Real Madrid and Barcelona, with some sources stating four points and one source mentioning seven points.
