Seoul Gazette - Real Madrid thrash Kairat with Mbappe hat-trick

Xabi Alonso's side bounced back from their thrashing by city rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday with an emphatic victory on the road, after travelling more than 7,000 kilometres.

Mbappe put the hosts to the sword with his treble and Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Diaz wrapped up Madrid's victory, which took them provisionally top of the table.

Kairat, appearing in the tournament proper for the first time, beat Celtic in qualifying but could not handle Los Blancos, even after their long journey east.

The hosts lined up with 18-year-old Sherkhan Kalmurza in goal, because of injuries to three other goalkeepers at the club.

Kalmurza was to blame for Madrid's opener, as he clumsily felled Franco Mastantuono.

Mbappe, who had a shot saved earlier by the youngster, sent Kalmurza the wrong way from the spot in the 25th minute.

The Frenchman was Madrid's main threat, as has been the case all season, and whistled a shot narrowly wide of the far post before the break.

Seven minutes into the second period Mbappe grabbed his second, after a long kick by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois allowed him through on goal.

Mbappe gently dinked the ball over Kalmurza to net his fourth in the competition after a brace against Marseille in Madrid's opener.

The striker should have had his hat-trick after exchanging passes with Vinicius Junior but fired wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.

At the other end, promising 17-year-old forward Dastan Satpayev, who will join Chelsea next summer, whipped a free-kick narrowly wide.

Kairat thought they had won a penalty when Dani Ceballos was penalised for tripping Valery Gromyko, but it was cancelled after a VAR review.

Mbappe then completed his treble after Arda Guler flicked the ball into his path on the edge of the box and he produced a razor-sharp finish.

Camavinga, on as a substitute, nodded home after 83 minutes and Diaz rounded off Madrid's rout in stoppage time.

F.Cha--SG