Villarreal 1-2 Real Madrid: Los Blancos lead La Liga by 3 pts after Mbappe brace

Game is over and the final score is Villarreal 1-2 Real Madrid. Here is the match report.

Match Report

Kylian Mbappe fired Real Madrid back to the top of La Liga as he scored twice in a comeback victory at Villarreal.

Juan Foyth opened the scoring for the hosts but two Mbappe strikes in six first-half minutes earned the points for Madrid.

It puts Los Blancos three points clear of previous leaders Barcelona, who visit third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday night.

Villarreal remain fifth in La Liga, five points off the Champions League qualification places after back-to-back league defeats.

They started the stronger, with top scorer Ayoze Perez twice denied by Thibaut Courtois in the opening seven minutes.

After Courtois tipped a low curling Perez effort behind, Villarreal scored from the resulting corner when captain Foyth slammed home amid a goalmouth scramble.

This sparked Madrid and Mbappe into life and they equalised 10 minutes later.

Mbappe played a through ball to Brahim Diaz and, when his shot was saved by Diego Conde, the Frenchman was on hand to score the rebound.

After netting, Mbappe ran straight back to the centre-circle without celebrating. He meant business and showed it again on 23 minutes.

Following a cutback from the byline, Mbappe was given too much space on the edge of the Villarreal box and used it to curl a shot unstoppably past Conde.

It moves Mbappe to 20 league goals this season, just one behind La Liga top scorer Robert Lewandowski.

Having endured a tough start to life in Madrid, Mbappe has firmly found his feet and will be essential to Real's push for both La Liga and Champions League success.

He took centre stage here, with usual attacking partner Vinicius Junior starting on the bench following a below-par showing against Atletico in midweek.

Villarreal did push Madrid hard in a fixture which ended 4-4 last season and proved entertaining again here.

Courtois had to go full stretch shortly before half-time to keep out a long-range effort from Nicholas Pepe and again to deny Alex Baena after the break.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

5' Ayoze Perez's shot in the box is saved by Courtois

7' Ayoze Perez's effort from outside the box is denied by the keeper

8' Foyth seizes the chance and has the ball in the net! Villarreal 1-0 Real Madrid

10' Buchanan's long-range shot is high

17' Mbappé equalizes just after Brahim's effort denied! Villarreal 1-1 Real Madrid

19' Courtois palms out another Villarreal's long-range effort

23' Mbappé nets double as Vazquez assists! Villarreal 1-2 Real Madrid

25' Villarreal's attempt from outside the box is saved by Courtois

30' Rodrygo breaks in and shoots from a narrow angle but it goes wide

33' Tchouameni is booked yellow for tackling down Ayoze Perez

45' Courtois dives to his right and palms Pepe's effort out

49' Barry's header after a fine cross is high

59' Long-range shot from Baena is saved by Courtois

62' Foyth falls over claiming Bellingham slapped him

66' Real Madrid appeal for a handball in the box but the ref takes no action

83' Valverde is replaced by Arda Guler

84' Ayoze Perez's shot in the box is just high

Line-ups

Villarreal XI: Ayoze Perez, Pepe, Santi Comesaña, Foyth, Pape Gueye, Logan Costa, Álex Baena, Diego Conde, Sergi Cardona, Buchanan, Willy Kambwala

Subs: Albiol, Parejo, Denis Suarez, Bailly, Pedraza, Yeremy, Luiz Júnior, Thierno Barry, Pau Navarro

Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Vazquez, Mbappe, Valverde, Brahim, Fran García, Tchouameni, Rodrygo, Camavinga, Bellingham, Raúl Asencio

Subs: Modric, Alaba, Rudiger, Lunin, Vinicius, Güler, Endrick, Fran González, Diego Aguado, Víctor Valdepeñas