Mbappé scores twice and Madrid wins once again to route Barcelona
MADRID (AP)– Kylian Mbappé scored in each half as Real Madrid hung on to beat Celta Vigo 3-2 on Sunday to keep pace with Barcelona in the Spanish league title race.Arda Güler also scored for Madrid, which opened a 3-0 lead early in the 2nd half however saw Celta get back into the game towards completion of the match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.Advertisement Celta had a number of fantastic chances to finish its comeback, consisting of a shot by Pablo Durán that stopped simply short of the goal line after a deflection by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the 78th minute. Courtois needed to make a number of saves near the end to protect the win.The success moved Madrid back within 4 points of leader Barcelona ahead of the groups’ last” clasico “of the season next Sunday in Barcelona.The Catalan club originated from behind to beat last-placed Valladolid 2-1 on Saturday, when coach Hansi Flick rested the majority of the group’s routine beginners ahead of its Champions League semfinal match at Inter Milan on Tuesday. Barcelona and Inter drew 3-3 in the first leg.Güler put Madrid ahead with a shot into the leading corner in the 33rd, and Mbappé scored in the 39th– likewise discovering the top corner– and in a breakaway in the 48th. The France star had not scored in the league given that March.Advertisement The match appeared under control up until Javi Rodríguez pulled the visitors closer in the 69th and Williot Swedberg scored Celta’s 2nd goal in the 76th. A couple of minutes later on, Durán’s shot agonizingly stopped just in front of the objective line after the ball picked up some backspin as it struck Courtois.”It was an embarassment,”Celta striker Borja Iglesias stated.”We had our possibilities. That shot by Pablo almost entered. It wasn’t meant to be.”Celta, which was coming off a 3-0 win over Villarreal, remained in seventh place.There were a few jeers from the Bernabeu crowd as Madrid had a hard time to hang on to its lead late in the game.Advertisement It was the 4th straight league win for Madrid
, which last Saturday lost the Copa del Rey last to Barcelona and last month was removed by Toolbox in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.Forward Rodrygo was not consisted of in the team due to the fact that of illness.
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