Mbappe nets a brace to secure a tense victory for Real Madrid over Betis

 Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé scored twice, including a penalty, to seal a 2-0 home win against Real Betis on Sunday, securing the champions' second LaLiga victory of the season.

France captain Mbappé, who transferred to Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in June, failed to score in his first three LaLiga matches after finding the net on his debut in a 2-0 UEFA Super Cup victory over Europa League champions Atalanta to kick off the season.

On Sunday, the Frenchman ended his brief scoring drought, helping his team secure their second win in four league matches. This victory alleviates some pressure before the two-week international break, with Real Madrid currently in second place with eight points, four behind Barcelona.

After a disappointing 1-1 draw against struggling Las Palmas on Thursday and still missing attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham due to a leg injury, the hosts experienced another sluggish start on Sunday. Although they dominated possession, they failed to create clear chances.

The so-called "New Galacticos" — Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo — struggled with misplaced passes and a lack of cohesion.

Betis were well-organized defensively and frequently posed a threat on the counter-attack, with forward Abde Ezzalzouli missing two clear opportunities in the first 15 minutes that could have stunned Real Madrid.

With Rodrygo stationed on the right flank, Mbappé and Vinícius struggled to find their rhythm while rotating positions early on. The same issues from previous games suggested that integrating Mbappé into their system might be more challenging than anticipated.

Mbappé squandered a few clear chances from Vinícius' crosses and struggled to outpace defenders in the early stages. However, he started to look more like himself with a few promising runs from the middle and left wing as the match progressed.

The home side appeared more dynamic after the break, with Mbappé and Vinícius beginning to click. They continued to press in the second half, with Vinícius hitting the post in the 50th minute.

Real Madrid finally broke the deadlock in the 67th minute when Mbappé scored from close range following a brilliant back-heel by Federico Valverde, who displayed excellent vision to evade the offside trap.

Mbappé sealed the win in the 75th minute with a penalty after Vinícius was fouled by goalkeeper Rui Silva.