MADRID: Kylian Mbappe extended his scoring streak with his sixth goal in five matches as Real Madrid defeated Alaves 3-2 to move closer to leader Barcelona in the Spanish league on Tuesday.
Mbappe’s seventh goal since joining Madrid was a beauty, with the France forward starting a give-and-go with Jude Bellingham with a heal flick and then picking up the pass inside the area and using a nifty move to clear a defender before finding the net in the 40th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Mbappe asked to be substituted in the 80th because of a muscle ailment, according to Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who said it was not serious.
Lucas Vazquez and Rodrygo also scored for Madrid, who extended their unbeaten run in the league to 39 matches — with 29 wins and 10 draws going back to last season. Alaves made a late charge by scoring with Carlos Benavídez in the 85th and Kike García in the 86th but couldn’t find the equalizer despite chances in the final minutes.
“We played a great match for 80 minutes, but we suffered more than we should have in the end,” Vázquez said.
The victory moved Madrid within one point of league leader Barcelona, who will go for their seventh victory in a row to start the season when they host winless Getafe on Wednesday.
Mbappe now has seven goals in nine matches with Madrid in all competitions. He has five goals in the Spanish league, one behind leading scorer Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona.
The France star who signed as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, also had a goal disallowed for offside in the 22nd. Arda Guler came in for Mbappe in the 80th.
Vazquez had put Madrid ahead one minute into the match with a shot from inside the area after a nice run by Vinicius Junior through the left side of the area. Rodrygo added to the lead after a long run in the 48th.
Ancelotti, in his 300th match with the club, used most of his regular starters and did not immediately rotate his squad despite a congested schedule.
Vazquez started as a right back in place of regular starter Dani Carvajal, who was rested with fitness issues.
Teenage Brazil forward Endrick replaced Rodrygo in the 69th, his earliest appearance off the bench, and a couple of minutes later struck the post from inside the area.
Madrid complained about yellow cards to Vinicius, Federico Valverde and substitute Luka Modric for protesting in a match in which Madrid felt their players were often subjected to tough tackles.
“There is a different standard now and we have to adapt,” Ancelotti said. “We have to stop protesting.”
Alaves, whose players were not shown any cards, complained that a red card should have been given to Endrick after the Brazilian appeared to kick an opponent away from the play.
Madrid’s next match is the city derby against Atletico Madrid at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium.
Sevilla midfielder Saul Niguez was carried off the field on a stretcher with an apparent leg injury early in the second half of Sevilla’s 2-1 home win over Valladolid.
Chidera Ejuke scored the winner in the 85th minute for Sevilla’s second victory in its past three league matches.
Valladolid’s only win this season came in its league opener against Espanyol.
Valencia followed up their first win of the season — 2-0 at Girona — with a 0-0 draw against Osasuna.
Osasuna had won two of its last three matches.
