Madrid: With two goals in less than 10 minutes, Kylian Mbappé ended his scoring drought in the Spanish league, leading Real Madrid to a 2-0 win over Real Betis.
Madrid’s biggest signing in years, Mbappé had scored once in the team’s win over Atalanta in the UEFA
Super Cup final last month, but he had yet to find the net in his previous three Spanish league matches.
“I was looking forward to scoring in this legendary stadium, the best in the world,” Mbappé said. “But the most important thing was the victory.”
He opened the scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu with a low left-footed shot from inside the area after a neat backheel pass by Federico Valverde in the 67th minute.
Mbappe then added to the lead by converting a 75th-minute penalty kick after a foul on Vinicius Junior.
Madrid had drawn two of its first three games, with its lone victory coming against Valladolid two rounds ago, also at the Bernabeu. This win moved the defending champion four points behind leader Barcelona, the only team to win all four matches to start the season.
“After the game against Las Palmas we knew that we had to win and we did it,” Mbappé said. “It was a tough match, but we are Real Madrid and in the end we won it.”
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said there was never any pressure on Mbappé to end his drought in the league.
“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.”