Kylian Mbappe said scoring his first La Liga goals since signing for Real Madrid was a "great moment" as a 2-0 win over Real Betis sent the defending champions second in the table.
The French striker's only previous goal in Madrid colours since signing on a free transfer on July 1 had been in the Uefa Super Cup final victory over Atalanta but he had failed to find the back of the net in Madrid's opening three games in La Liga, prompting criticism in the Spanish press.
It looked like that run would extend to a fourth league match as Mbappe squandered a host of chances to break the deadlock. He made no mistake when presented with another chance on 67 minutes, converting past the Betis goalkeeper after a well-timed back-heel from Fede Valverde.
Eight minutes later the France captain added a second from the penalty spot and was cheered off the field when he was replaced by Luka Modric in the 84th minute.
"It's a great moment," Mbappe told Spanish television after the match. "I was really hoping to score at the Bernabeu, in this mythical stadium, the best in the world. But the most important thing was to win.
"After the match against Las Palmas, we knew we had to win. And that's what we did today, in a difficult match. But we're Real, and in the end we win, and with style."
Before Sunday, Carlo Ancelotti had felt the need to defend his new recruit, telling reporters at his pre-match press conference that "we never put Mbappe under pressure to score goals".
Analysing Mbappe's performance against Betis, the Italian said: "He was very effective in the box, he had many opportunities. I think it is important for him to score, but we appreciate more the work for the team."
Ancelotti also spread his praise across the entire team which has taken a while to gel this season.
"Anxiety, frustration, we don't have them," said Ancelotti. "We have desire, motivation to try to do better. Today we did better. I think we deserved to win. It was a good game, much more supportive among all, and we arrive at the [international] break feeling good."
Madrid's win takes them second in the table with eight points, four behind early leaders Barcelona who eviscerated Real Valladolid 7-0 on Saturday to make it four wins from four in La Liga under new coach Hansi Flick.
Atletico Madrid are third after a late victory in Bilbao on Saturday while Villarreal are fourth, both of them also on eight points.
Girona are fifth after picking up their second win of the season in Seville.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
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Transmission: nine-speed
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Specs
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Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
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MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
