Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored a goal and raised a trophy on debut for Real Madrid.
The France captain pulled on the white jersey of the Spanish champions for the first time in a competitive match and marked the occasion with the second goal in their 2-0 win over Atalanta BC in the UEFA Super Cup.
Mbappe, who started and played 82 minutes at the National Stadium in Warsaw, met a pass from Jude Bellingham across the area with a shot into the top corner in the 68th minute.
Photo: EPA-EFE
After putting both arms across his chest in celebration, he was congratulated by Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, the other members of Madrid’s star-studded strike force that might be sending tremors across European soccer heading into the new season.
Federico Valverde tapped home a cross from Vinicius in the 59th minute to set Madrid on their way to a record sixth victory in the Super Cup, the annual match between the UEFA Champions League winners (Madrid) and the UEFA Europa League champions (Atalanta).
Madrid are used to records — no team has more UEFA European Cup titles than their 15 — and owning the world’s best players.
Photo: Reuters
Mbappe certainly belongs in that category and it was a strong start to life at the world’s top soccer club, one he dreamed of playing for as a child.
Now he is Madrid’s No. 9, starting the Super Cup as the team’s central striker — to limited success — before moving out wide for the second half.
However, Vinicius and Bellingham, stars of Madrid’s runs to the Champions League and La Liga titles last season, were the game’s standout players as Carlo Ancelotti’s team eventually overpowered Atalanta after an even first half that saw both sides hit the crossbar.
Madrid defender Eder Militao deflected a cross onto his own bar, before Rodrygo fired in a shot just before halftime that struck the top of the bar.
Mbappe wowed the crowd with a couple of tricks and spins, but did not make too much of an impact in the first half.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, 29, has died, the NBA team said in a statement on Tuesday, while the family of Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to play in a major US pro sports league, announced the former Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets player had died after a battle with brain cancer. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement posted on social media. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.” The statement did not provide
Mathys Tel was hero and villain as Tottenham drew 1-1 at home to Leeds United on Monday — a result that leaves their English Premier League future hanging in the balance. The Frenchman broke the deadlock early in the second half to ease the tension at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but then gave away a penalty with a reckless attempted clearance. In the dying minutes, Spurs were grateful to Antonin Kinsky, who produced an astonishing save to deny the visitors a win. Tottenham are now two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United with just two games left this season. The
‘DONE IT ALL’: LeBron James is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season as a free agent with uncertainty swirling around his future LeBron James on Monday said he would take time to consider his future after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder in what could turn out to be the final game of his career. James, 41, delivered a typically defiant performance with 24 points and 12 rebounds, but it was not enough to prevent the Lakers from falling 115-110 as the Thunder completed a 4-0 sweep in the Western Conference semi-finals series. The four-time NBA champion is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season
FRUSTRATION: Gauff smacked herself on the head with her racket before storming down the tunnel, emerging afterward to have a heated discussion with her coach Elina Svitolina on Saturday won the Italian Open after beating Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 to claim her third Rome title, while Jannik Sinner set a date with Casper Ruud in the men’s final. Ukraine’s Svitolina had not claimed a WTA 1000 title since her last victory at the Foro Italico eight years ago, but prevailed over the ever-erratic Gauff to claim her 20th tournament triumph. Saturday’s win over Gauff was her third in a row against a player in the top four of the world rankings — including Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina — ahead of the French
RSS