First-half blitz sees Real Madrid cruise past city rivals Rayo Vallecano

Having scored four times in each of their two home league matches this season, Real were halfway to achieving that feat again inside 17 minutes here. 

Alvaro Carreras played an important role in both, first poking the ball away from Florian Lejeune to invite a rash challenge in the box, which was punished by Kylian Mbappe’s composed spot-kick.

Just three minutes later, Lejeune made an equally costly error, gifting Vinicius Junior possession with a wayward backpass, which soon led to a neat interchange between Mbappe and Carreras, with the former laying the ball off for the latter to slot home.

Fielding his third different goalkeeper this season, Benat San Jose had debutant Emil Audero to thank for keeping Rayo in the contest midway through the first half, as the stand-in recovered well after spilling a rasping Vinícius shot to push the ball away from an incoming Mbappe.

Los Blancos were in an unstoppable mood, and breezed into a three-goal lead before the break thanks in large part to Vinícius’ direct run, which ended with a pullback for Jude Bellingham to produce a controlled side-foot finish.

Thibaut Courtois wasn’t a total bystander in the first period, being forced into action on a couple of occasions, although there was little he could do but hope as the ball whistled past his fingertips and cannoned off the post from Pedro Diaz’s rifled effort after the restart.

That proved to be a warning that the hosts didn’t heed, as Rayo scored for the 12th LaLiga game in succession after pinching the ball high up the pitch and working it to Sergio Camello, whose improvised toe poke rolled inside the far post.

An open period of play followed, and Rayo pushed hard in pursuit of a route back into the contest, yet that soon gave way to a late Real flurry in which Mbappe added gloss to the scoreline, arrowing in a precise finish after a swift breakaway, and duly registering his 14th LaLiga brace for Los Blancos.

A dominant display means Real have still lost just two league encounters at home since the start of last season (W19, D1), going level on points with arch-rivals Barcelona, albeit having played an extra game at this early stage of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Los Franjirrojos’ travel sickness continues, having tasted victory on only two occasions in their last 16 LaLiga trips (D4, L10).

Flashscore Man of the Match: Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

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