Mbappé scores first hat trick for Real Madrid as Atletico draws

Mbappé scores first hat trick for Real Madrid as Atletico draws
Mbappé scores first hat trick for Real Madrid as Atletico draws

Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Kylian Mbappé scored his first hat trick for Real Madrid in a 3-0 win at struggling Valladolid and helped to extend its lead of La Liga on Saturday.

Gone was the inconsistent play and missed penalties from Mbappé during his first months with Madrid following his move from Saint-Germain. The captain has started pouring in goals with back-to-back multi-goal matches and has Madrid in pole position with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona stalled.

The game between the front-runner and the bottom side fit its billing as a mismatch.

Valladolid could draw only one save from Thibaut Courtois in the opening moments. It was all Madrid the rest of the way, and Mbappé heated up as he settles in with the defending champions.

Madrid’s fourth straight win in the league combined with Atletico Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Villarreal let Carlo Ancelotti’s side open a four-point gap over its city rival. Barcelona was in third place at 10 points back before hosting Valencia on Sunday.

Mbappé swept in Madrid’s first goal on the half-hour mark after a flowing team attack of quick passes to weave the ball through a packed Valladolid area that culminated in Jude Bellingham’s assist for the France star.

He made it a double in the 57th by finishing off a three-against-two counterattack after Federico Valverde intercepted a Valladolid pass. Mbappé took a pass by Rodrygo and rifled in a low strike from the left side of the box.

That made it four games in a row with a goal across all competitions for Mbappé. In La Liga, Mbappé has 15, second only to Robert Lewandowski’s 16 for Barcelona. He also scored twice last weekend against Las Palmas in a 4-1 win.

Vinícius Júnior didn’t play as he completed a two-game suspension, but his absence was barely noticed.

Valladolid finished with 10 men after Mario Martín got a second booking in the 90th for a foul on Bellingham, sending Mbappé to the spot for his third.

Valladolid was five points from safety.

Atletico drops more points

Atletico’s stalemate with Villarreal came a week after a shock 1-0 loss at Leganes.

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Gerard Moreno, Villarreal’s top scorer in club history, made it 120 goals for the Yellow Submarine in the 25th minute after the striker converted a penalty he earned when fouled by Reinildo.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone rested Antoine Griezmann and midfielder Rodrigo de Paul for the first half. Then he made three changes at halftime, sending on De Paul and winger Samu Lino to kickstart his sluggish attack.

The moves paid off as the hosts pressed Villarreal into its box, and Lino rammed in a 58th-minute equalizer.

Simeone sent Griezmann on immediately after and the action stayed in Villarreal’s area except for two chances for Villarreal’s Ayoze Pérez, who replaced Gerard. But Griezmann’s header that bounced just wide in the 86th was the closest Atletico came to snatching a winner.

“We played a good game at a very tough ground against a team with a deep bench that is fighting for the league. We are happy,” Gerard said for a Villarreal that stayed in fifth place.

Betis grabs late winner

Cedric Bakambu headed in a stoppage-time winner to grab Real Betis a 1-0 victory at 10-man Mallorca.

Mallorca had opportunities until Omar Mascarell received a direct red card for a studs-first tackle of Betis’ Jesús Rodríguez in the 73rd.

The win came while Betis secured a loan deal for forward Anthony from Manchester United.

García sustains Espanyol

Goalkeeper Joan García made three saves to deny Sevilla standout Dodi Lukebakio and help Espanyol grind out a 1-1 draw at Sevilla.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer


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