ALMATY: Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick as Real Madrid shrugged off any travel weariness in a 5-0 win at Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
The 15-time European champions traveled nearly 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) to play the game in the eastern Kazakh city, Kairat’s first home match in the competition.
The enthusiasm showed with Dastan Satpayev testing Thibault Courtois after just 13 seconds and Jorginho trying his luck a minute later.
Mbappé settled any visiting nerves by dispatching a penalty in the 25th after goalkeeper Sherkhan Kalmurza had brought down Franco Mastantuono.
Mbappé went close again before the break but ultimately the visitors appeared content to let the ball circulate without forcing the initiative too much.
The second half started in the same vein until Courtois caught the Kairat defense out with a long clearance and Mbappé lobbed the ball over Kalmurza in the 52nd for his second goal.
Kairat might have had a way back into the game when Dani Ceballos was penalized for an apparent foul on Valery Gromyko, but referee Marco Guida changed his mind after a VAR review.
Arda Güler sent Mbappé though for his third goal in the 73rd, when the France star completed his fourth hat trick in the competition. Only Robert Lewandowski (6) and Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (8) have more.
Substitute Eduardo Camavinga scored his first-ever goal in the competition 10 minutes later, and fellow substitute Brahim Díaz completed the scoring in stoppage time.
Atalanta came from behind to beat Club Brugge 2-1 in the other early game.
Mbappé rewards Madrid’s long journey with hat trick in 5-0 win at Kairat Almaty in Champions League
https://arab.news/8999a
Mbappé rewards Madrid’s long journey with hat trick in 5-0 win at Kairat Almaty in Champions League
- The 15-time European champions traveled nearly 6,500 kilometers to play the game
- Arda Güler sent Mbappé though for his third goal in the 73rd
Dubai Basketball in good form ahead of Bayern Munich clash
- Dubai tackle German club on the back of wins in ABA League and tight EuroLeague clash
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball closed a demanding week on two fronts with a statement win in the ABA League and a narrow, hard-fought EuroLeague battle in Bologna, underscoring the team’s rising profile across Europe’s top competitions.
Last night, Dubai Basketball extended their flawless start to the ABA League Group A campaign, securing an 8-0 record with an impressive 74-88 road victory over Igokea in Laktasi.
The team controlled the game from the early stages to build a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter. From there, the visitors managed the contest with confidence and precision on both ends of the floor.
Mfiondu Kabengele delivered a standout performance, producing 20 points, 10 rebounds and a 29 valuation. McKinley Wright guided the offence masterfully, contributing 10 first-half points and shaping Dubai’s rhythm throughout the night.
The win preserved Dubai’s perfect ABA League record as they continue to set the pace in Group A.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Dubai Basketball’s Head Coach Jurica Golemac said: “This was a very important victory for us after a tough loss three days ago. The team showed a professional approach from the start and controlled the game for 40 minutes.
“Twenty-seven assists tell the story; we played team basketball, shared the ball, stayed physical on defense and deserved the win. We take the positives and move forward.”
A dramatic EuroLeague Round 14 encounter against Virtus Bologna on Friday saw Dubai fall just short, 79-78, after a tense fourth-quarter finish.
Despite overturning a 13-point deficit to lead at half-time and winning the rebounding battle 39-30, a pair of late three-pointers from Virtus Bologna’s Luca Vildoza proved decisive.
With the club sitting at 6–8 in the EuroLeague and firmly in the hunt, all eyes now turn to the home game against Bayern Munich in Round 15 at Coca-Cola Arena on Dec. 12.
