Kylian Mbappe double sends Real Madrid top of La Liga with 2-0 win over Villarreal | OneFootball

Manager Alvaro Arbeloa passed his biggest domestic test yet as Real Madrid secured a 2-0 victory at Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday evening.

The first genuine opportunity came off Arder Guler’s brilliance, as the Turkish star deftly got past his markers before powering a shot towards goal, but Luiz Junior was equal to the task.

Madrid went on attack again after Jude Bellingham won the ball high up the pitch. He picked out Vinicius Junior, whose effort dragged wide.

Pape Gueye, fresh offf the back of his AFCON heroics, registered the hosts’ first clear opening, surging into acres of space, but he could not hit the target.

Kylian Mbappe broke the deadlock seconds after the restart, pouncing on a loose ball and squeezing it through the goalkeeper’s legs to register his 20th league goal.

Gerard Moreno later spurned two opportunities to draw Villarreal level, first failing to strike cleanly from a pass over the top before blazing over the bar after a clever assist from Dani Parejo.

Mbappe sealed the victory late on from the penalty spot, sending the ball down the middle of goal and the goalkeeper the wrong way.

The victory lifts Madrid to the top of La Liga standings, two points clear of Barcelona, who host Real Oviedo at Camp Nou on Sunday afternoon.