Highlights: Mbappe Scores First La Liga Goals in Real Madrid’s Win Over Betis

Kylian Mbappe silenced his doubters by scoring his first La Liga goals during Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Real Betis at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, propelling the team to second place in the standings.

Since his last goal in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta, Mbappe had not scored in Madrid’s first three La Liga matches, drawing some negative attention from the Spanish media.

Mbappe’s breakthrough came in the 67th minute when he swept the ball into the net with his left foot, following a clever back-heel assist from Fede Valverde. Shortly thereafter, in the 75th minute, the French captain secured his second goal from the penalty spot, earning applause from the fans as he was substituted by Luka Modric in the 84th minute.

This performance marked a significant turnaround from the earlier anxiety surrounding Mbappe since his first goal and trophy win in Warsaw on August 14.

Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, defended Mbappe on Saturday against the criticism, praising his adaptation and impactful play despite not scoring.

The win brings Madrid to second place in La Liga with eight points, trailing behind Barcelona, who lead with 12 points after a resounding 7-0 victory against Real Valladolid. This win for Barcelona under new coach Hansi Flick marks their fourth consecutive victory.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid secured third place after a late win in Bilbao, and Villarreal is in fourth, both also with eight points. Girona is in fifth place, having secured their second win of the season against Sevilla. In that match, Ivan Martin scored first for Girona in the 41st minute, and Abel Ruiz later added a goal with a 73rd-minute penalty.

Elsewhere, Alaves defeated Las Palmas 2-0 with goals from Carlos Vicente and Luka Romero, while Osasuna claimed a thrilling 3-2 home victory against Celta Vigo. In that game, Flavien Boyomo and Abel Bretones scored for Osasuna, with an own goal by Carlos Dominguez also contributing. Despite a late red card and a consolation own goal by Moi Gomez for Celta, Osasuna held on to win.