Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid eased to a 5-0 victory over UEFA Champions League debutants Kairat Almaty on Tuesday, bouncing back emphatically from their weekend La Liga defeat.
Real, coming off a humbling 5-2 loss to city rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday, responded in style, with Mbappe taking his Champions League tally to five goals this season.
“We must never forget (what happened on Saturday). Yes, it’s another competition, but we have to keep thinking about what happened last weekend so we can learn from our mistakes and work to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Mbappe told Movistar Plus.
“My job is to help the team and I only think about doing what I can to help the team win matches and trophies.
“A player like me, when he has five chances, wants and has to score all five. That’s why Real Madrid bought me and I always want more. Three were very good, but I could have scored more.”
Kairat, undeterred by their underdog status, began brightly and created a couple of half-chances down the left.
However, Real Madrid gradually asserted control, and the breakthrough arrived in the 25th minute.
A defensive error from the hosts gifted Real midfielder Franco Mastantuono possession inside the box, where he was fouled by 18-year-old goalkeeper Sherhan Kalmurza. Mbappe rifled the resulting penalty into the back of the net.
Despite several chances, Real ended the first half with a slender 1-0 lead, but Mbappe doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute with a moment of brilliance.
A long kick from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois found the French forward, who outpaced Kairat’s defence, and chipped the advancing Kalmurza.
The home side thought they had a lifeline in the 69th minute when Dani Ceballos was penalised for a foul on Valeriy Gromyko in the box, but the referee overturned his decision after a VAR review.
Mbappe eventually sealed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute, unleashing a thunderous strike from the edge of the box into the top corner, following a dazzling run by substitute Rodrygo.
The Brazilian continued to shine, setting up Eduardo Camavinga for a headed goal in the 83rd minute, before Brahim Diaz completed the 5-0 rout in stoppage time with a close-range finish.
Real’s dominant display leaves them in a strong position in the standings, while Kairat, still seeking their first Champions League point, were left to rue defensive lapses on a challenging night.
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