ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN: Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid thrashed Kairat 5-0 in a league match in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
Xabi Alonso’s team bounced back after being humiliated by local rivals Atletico Madrid with a big away win after travelling more than 7,000 kilometres.
Mbappe was a nightmare for the hosts with a hat-trick while Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Diaz completed Madrid’s victory that temporarily took them to the top of the table.
Kairat, who made their first appearance in the main competition of this tournament after defeating Celtic in the qualifying round, were unable to match the prowess of Los Blancos, especially French star Mbappe.
The striker has now scored 13 goals in 9 matches this season in all competitions but still looked disappointed when he missed a great opportunity in the second half.
The hosts, Kairat, fielded 18-year-old goalkeeper Sherkhan Kalmurza following injuries to their three main goalkeepers.
However, Kalmurza easily gave Madrid the opening goal when he brought down Franco Mastantuono and Mbappe converted the penalty in the 25th minute.
Seven minutes into the second half, Mbappe scored his second goal from a long pass from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Kairat thought they had a penalty when Dani Ceballos was accused of bringing down Valery Gromyko but the decision was overturned after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
Mbappe finally completed his hat-trick when Arda Guler made a clever pass outside the penalty area and Mbappe fired a sharp shot for his third personal goal.
Camavinga, who came on as a substitute, headed in the fourth goal in the 83rd minute while Brahim Diaz capped Madrid’s glorious night with a fifth goal in injury time.