Kylian Mbappe scores as Real Madrid survive scare

Kylian Mbappe extended his scoring streak with his sixth goal in five matches as Real Madrid defeated Alaves 3-2 to move closer to leaders Barcelona in the Spanish league. 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.

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 Benavidez in the 85th and Kike Garcia in the 86th but couldn’t find the equaliser 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,” Vazquez said.

The victory moved Madrid within one point of league leaders Barcelona.

Star striker sidelined

Mbappe will be sidelined with a hamstring injury, Real Madrid said. “Following tests carried out by Real Madrid’s medical services on our player Kylian Mbappe, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg,” Madrid said. “His progress will be monitored.”

The club did not give a time frame for Mbappe’s recovery, but he is set to miss at least Sunday’s derby at Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league.