How Did Mbappe's Penalty Lead Real Madrid to Victory in Their LaLiga Opener?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory in their LaLiga opener.
- Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty to score the only goal.
- The match was held at the historic Bernabéu stadium.
- New signings Carreras and Mastantuono made their debuts.
- Osasuna defended well but could not find the net.
- Real Madrid maintains an impressive record of 17 seasons without an opening day loss.
Madrid, Aug 20 (NationPress) Mbappé'sReal Madrid to a triumphant start in their LaLiga journey at the Bernabéu. Xabi Alonso'sOsasuna on the season's opening day.
The first half ended without any goals, but early in the second half, Mbappé, last season's Golden Boot winner, struck the decisive penalty, granting the Madridistas the lead. Both Carreras, who started the match, and Mastantuono made their official debuts for the team, as reported by Real Madrid.
From the onset, Madrid asserted their dominance, applying pressure high on the field. Carreras took the first shot with a long-range effort that narrowly missed (7'). A few minutes later, Huijsen tried from outside the area, but Sergio Herrera skillfully deflected it.
Despite their control, Osasuna held firm defensively, allowing few opportunities. In the 26th minute, Militao unleashed another powerful shot, which Herrera saved brilliantly.
Real Madrid kept pushing forward, and Mbappé came close with a right-footed attempt that went just wide (36’). As the first half concluded, Vini Jr. sprinted on a counter-attack but was halted by a foul that the referee Adrián Cordero missed.
Five minutes after the break, Madrid's relentless efforts paid off. Mbappé made a dynamic run down the right flank and, after a marvelous cut-back past Juan Cruz, was fouled by the defender.
The French star successfully converted the penalty, putting the score at 1-0. Shortly after, Arda Guler almost increased the lead with a shot that soared just over the bar.
Osasuna finally created a chance in the 64th minute, but Bretones failed to connect with Rubén García'sXabi Alonso brought on Carvajal and Mastantuono, who received a warm reception from the Bernabéu crowd. The new signing set up Tchouameni, but his header missed the target.
The Argentinian had another opportunity late in the match when his left-footed shot from the byline was saved by Sergio Herrera. Osasuna ended the match with ten men after Bretones received a red card for a foul on Gonzalo. Real Madrid celebrated a successful league opener, maintaining their record of 17 consecutive seasons without a loss on the opening day.