Kylian Mbappe struck twice in three minutes, while teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono marked his scoring debut, as Real Madrid cruised to a 4-1 victory over Levante in the Spanish league on Tuesday, extending the club’s flawless start to the season.
Vinicius Junior also scored, securing Madrid’s sixth consecutive league win.
“We played a very complete game,” Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said. “We need to keep this momentum. This is just the beginning, and we want to continue competing at this level.”
Mbappe added Madrid’s third goal with a stylish Panenka penalty in the 64th minute after being fouled inside the box, then scored again in the 66th after getting past the goalkeeper to find an open net.
The goals were Mbappe’s eighth and ninth in seven matches with Madrid this season. He also scored twice in two matches with France’s national team.
The 18-year-old Mastantuono, signed from River Plate in the summer, scored in the 38th minute with a shot from inside the area into the top corner. The Argentine forward made his fifth start for Madrid.
“I was waiting for this goal,” he said. “It helps me gain even more confidence within the squad.”
Vinicius Junior, who had complained about being substituted by Alonso in the team’s previous match, put Madrid ahead with a neat strike into the far corner in the 28th minute. The Brazilian forward had not scored in his last three matches.
“He had a decisive performance,” Alonso said of Vinicius Junior.
Levante pulled closer in the 54th with a header from close range by Etta Eyong, marking the team’s first shot on target.
Madrid is the only team to have won all six of its league matches this season. It also won its Champions League opener against Marseille.
The latest victory increased Madrid’s lead to five points over defending champion Barcelona, which visits promoted Oviedo on Thursday. Madrid next faces Atletico Madrid in the city derby.
Levante, also promoted to the top division this season, was winless in its first four matches but came off a 4-0 victory at Girona in the previous round.
Madrid and Levante wore jerseys printed with their names in the fingerspelling alphabet to celebrate the International Day of Sign Languages.
Athletic Bilbao and Girona played to a 1-1 draw, extending their winless streaks.
Mikel Jauregizar scored a 48th-minute equalizer for Athletic after Azzedine Ounahi opened the scoring in the ninth minute for Girona, which is still seeking its first win in six matches.
The Catalan club lost four straight to start its campaign, then drew two of its last three games.
It has been outscored 16-3 so far.
Athletic began the season with three straight victories but lost three in a row leading into the home match against Girona. One of those losses came against Arsenal in the Champions League group stage.
Valencia appeared on course for its third win in four league matches but conceded a late goal in stoppage time for a 2-2 draw at Espanyol.
Javi Puado scored six minutes into added time for Espanyol.
Leandro Cabrera had scored the other goal for the hosts in the 59th, while Valencia’s goals came from Arnaut Danjuma in the 15th and Hugo Duro in the 62nd.
Valencia came off a 2-0 win against Athletic at home. Espanyol had won three of its first four matches but lost 2-0 at Real Madrid in its previous outing.
Third-place Villarreal won 2-1 at Sevilla for its second consecutive victory. Manor Solomon scored the winner in the 86th minute.
Content Source: www.dailysabah.com