Mbappe gives Real Madrid nervy win against Betis

emirates7 - Real Madrid's forward Kylian Mbappé scored twice late in the match, including a penalty, to secure a 2-0 home victory over Real Betis on Sunday, marking the champions' second LaLiga win of the season.

Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in June and is also the captain of the French national team, had not scored in their first three LaLiga matches following his debut goal in a 2-0 victory over Europa League champions Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup earlier in the season.

On Sunday, the French star ended his brief scoring drought, helping his team secure their second win in four league games. This result eases some pressure ahead of the two-week international break, with Real Madrid now sitting in second place with eight points, trailing Barcelona by four.

After a disappointing 1-1 draw against Las Palmas on Thursday and still missing key attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham due to a leg injury, Real Madrid had another sluggish start on Sunday. Despite dominating possession, they struggled to clear opportunities.

The "New Galacticos" trio of Mbappé, Vinícius Jr., and Rodrygo faced difficulties, with numerous misplaced passes and a lack of cohesion.

Real Betis, well-organized defensively, posed a threat on the counterattack, with forward Abde Ezzalzouli missing two clear chances in the first 15 minutes that could have put Real Madrid in a tough spot.

With Rodrygo confined to the right flank, Mbappé and Vinícius had trouble finding their rhythm as they alternated positions early in the game. The same issues from previous matches resurfaced, indicating that Real Madrid still needs to work on integrating Mbappé into their system.

Mbappé missed a couple of clear chances from Vinícius' crosses and initially struggled to outpace defenders. However, as the game progressed, he began to flashes of his old form with some impressive runs through the center and left wing.

Real Madrid looked more energized after the break, with Mbappé and Vinícius starting to build better chemistry. Vinícius nearly scored in the 50th minute, hitting the post.

The breakthrough came in the 67th minute when Mbappé scored from close range following a brilliant back-heel assist by midfielder Federico Valverde, who expertly beat the offside trap.

Mbappé sealed the victory in the 75th minute, converting a penalty after Vinícius was fouled by Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva.