Kylian Mbappé scored twice as Real Madrid returned to winning ways in La Liga with a commanding 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday. Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute after Álvaro Carreras was brought down inside the box, before Carreras doubled Madrid’s advantage just three minutes later. Jude Bellingham then added a third before half-time, leaving the hosts in firm control.Rayo Vallecano improved considerably after the break and pulled one goal back through Sergio Camello in the 51st minute, while Madrid were forced to withstand periods of pressure from the visitors. Real eventually restored their three-goal cushion in stoppage time when Mbappé finished a counter-attack to complete his brace. The French forward’s second goal took his tally to seven goals in six appearances this season, underlining his excellent early-season form.The victory moved Real Madrid level with Barcelona on 12 points at the top of the La Liga table, although Barcelona still had a game in hand. The result also provided a positive response after Madrid’s previous league defeat, but their second-half struggles showed there is still room for improvement under José Mourinho. With Mbappé continuing to deliver in front of goal and Bellingham and Carreras also finding the net, Madrid will hope the emphatic win marks the beginning of another strong run in the title race.
