The French superstar netted a brace from the spot to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory for Real Madrid over Marseille in their UEFA Champions League first match, despite finishing the game with a numerical disadvantage.
Early Drama and Setback
Dani Carvajal entered after just five minutes as a substitute when Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered an apparent hamstring injury.
Marseille then took the lead in the 22nd minute thanks to Timothy Weah, who capitalized on a costly error by Arda Guler.
The Star Delivers and Drama Follows
Mbappé equalized from the penalty mark after a teammate was fouled inside the box by Geoffrey Kondogbia.
Tempers escalated in the 72nd minute when Carvajal was shown a red card for a headbutt with the rival shot-stopper, leaving his side at a major handicap.
Decisive Penalty Seals the Game
Despite being with ten players, Madrid pushed forward and won a late penalty after a debated handling incident involving a Marseille defender.
Mbappé calmly scored once again to complete a remarkable turnaround for the record European champions.
An encounter filled with twists and turns ended with Real Madrid claiming all the victory in their group stage first fixture.
