La Liga: Mbappe, Vini Jnr on Target as Real Madrid Beat Real Oviedo
Real Madrid showcased their strength in LaLiga with a convincing 3-0 victory over newly promoted Real Oviedo on Sunday, powered by a standout performance from Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice, and Vinicius Junior, who added a late goal to seal the match.
The encounter marked the first meeting between the two sides since November 2002, and despite the scoreline, it proved to be a hard-fought battle. Mbappe opened the scoring in the 37th minute after a well-executed sequence of play. Aurelien Tchouameni intercepted the ball from Leander Dendoncker in midfield and quickly fed Arda Guler. Guler’s precise pass found Mbappe, who turned sharply on the edge of the box and unleashed a low shot into the net, much to the dismay of the home crowd that believed Tchouameni’s challenge should have been ruled a foul.
For much of the match, Oviedo’s disciplined defending kept the scoreline tight, limiting Real Madrid to just a single goal until late in the game. The hosts nearly equalized when Kwasi Sibo’s low drive struck the post, a moment that left fans on the edge of their seats.
However, it was Real Madrid who struck again in the 83rd minute. After regaining possession in midfield, substitute Vinicius Junior slipped the ball through to Mbappe, who finished expertly to double the lead. Mbappe almost completed his hat-trick shortly after but saw his powerful long-range effort brilliantly saved by Oviedo keeper Aaron Escandell.
Real’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also had his moments, making a crucial diving save to deny Haissem Hassan’s angled strike, showcasing his reflexes and ensuring the clean sheet.
As the match approached stoppage time, Vinicius found himself unmarked in the box and expertly picked out the far corner, adding Real Madrid’s third goal and cementing a comprehensive victory.