Mbappé extends scoring streak as Real Madrid beats Alaves 3-2 in Spanish league

MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé extended his scoring streak with his sixth goal in five matches as Real Madrid defeated Alaves 3-2 to move closer to leader Barcelona in the Spanish league on Tuesday.

Mbappé's seventh goal since joining Madrid was a beauty, with the France forward starting a give-and-go with Jude Bellingham with a heal flick and then picking up the pass inside the area and using a nifty move to clear a defender before finding the net in the 40th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Mbappé asked to be substituted in the 80th because of a muscle ailment, according to Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who said it was not serious.

Lucas Vázquez and Rodrygo also scored for Madrid, which extended its unbeaten run in the league to 39 matches — with 29 wins and 10 draws going back to last season. Alaves made a late charge by scoring with Carlos Benavídez in the 85th and Kike García in the 86th but couldn't find the equalizer despite chances in the final minutes.

“We played a great match for 80 minutes, but we suffered more than we should have in the end,” Vázquez said.

The victory moved Madrid within one point of league leader Barcelona, which will go for its seventh victory in a row to start the season when it hosts winless Getafe on Wednesday.

Mbappé now has seven goals in nine matches with Madrid in all competitions. He has five goals in the Spanish league, one behind leading scorer Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona.

The France star who signed as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, also had a goal disallowed for offside in the 22nd. Arda Güler came in for Mbappé in the 80th.

Vázquez had put Madrid ahead one minute into the match with a shot from inside the area after a nice run by Vinícius Júnior through the left side of the area. Rodrygo added to the lead after a long run in the 48th.

Ancelotti, in his 300th match with the club, used most of his regular starters and did not immediately rotate his squad despite a congested schedule.

Vázquez started as a right back in place of regular starter Dani Carvajal, who was rested with fitness issues.

Teenage Brazil forward Endrick replaced Rodrygo in the 69th, his earliest appearance off the bench, and a couple of minutes later struck the post from inside the area.

Madrid complained about yellow cards to Vinícius, Federico Valverde and substitute Luka Modric for protesting in a match in which Madrid felt its players were often subjected to tough tackles.

“There is a different standard now and we have to adapt,” Ancelotti said. “We have to stop protesting.”

Alaves, whose players were not shown any cards, complained that a red card should have been given to Endrick after the Brazilian appeared to kick an opponent away from the play.

Madrid’s next match is the city derby against Atletico Madrid at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium.

Sevilla midfielder Saúl Ñíguez was carried off the field on a stretcher with an apparent leg injury early in the second half of Sevilla's 2-1 home win over Valladolid.

Chidera Ejuke scored the winner in the 85th minute for Sevilla's second victory in its past three league matches.

Valladolid's only win this season came in its league opener against Espanyol.

Valencia followed up its first win of the season — 2-0 at Girona — with a 0-0 draw against Osasuna.

Osasuna had won two of its last three matches.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham runs during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's David Alaba, right, discusses with Alaves' Carlos Benavidez during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez, front, celebrates with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior after scoring the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scores a disallowed goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (AP) — England captain Harry Brook struck his first one-day international century before his team clinched a 46-run win by the DLS method to keep alive the series against Australia on Tuesday.

Chasing 305 to win the third ODI, England was 254-4 — with Brook unbeaten on 110 — when heavy rain arrived in the day-nighter at Chester-le-Street. The teams didn’t get back on the field and England was well ahead of the run-rate.

Australia, which had cruised to dominant wins at Southampton and Leeds in this five-match series, saw its lead trimmed to 2-1 and its 14-match winning run in ODIs come to an end. During that streak, the team won the Cricket World Cup in India last year.

Coming to the crease with England in trouble on 11-2, Brook took on Australia’s seam attack by hitting 13 fours and two sixes in a 94-ball knock to easily surpass his previous ODI-best score of 80.

“I’m relieved, for sure. It’s just nice to see some rewards,” said Brook, who gained his first win as stand-in skipper for the injured Jos Buttler. “I’m just glad I managed to play the way I wanted to. It’s nice to get that first hundred on the board and hopefully there’s plenty more to come.

“I feel like I’ve been a little bit stop-start this summer. I’ve had a lot of starts — 30s and 40s — and then not managed to convert, which is frustrating. To do that today, I feel like I’m back in a good place."

The series continues on Friday with the fourth ODI at Lord’s.

Playing without explosive opener Travis Head (rested) and star spinner Adam Zampa (ill), Australia was put into bat and needed a strong finish — mainly thanks to Alex Carey’s unbeaten 77 and No. 8 batter Aaron Hardie’s 44 off 26 — to post 304-7 off its 50 overs.

Steve Smith hit a patient 60 off 82 balls, after the tourists’ innings was slowed by losing Cameron Green (42) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) in space of five balls just past the halfway mark.

It looked a tough chase for a youthful England team that had been outclassed so far this series and things started badly when Mitchell Starc dismissed Phil Salt (for an eight-ball duck) and Ben Duckett (8) in the same over — Australia’s third.

Brook embraced the pressure of the occasion and went on the attack pretty much from the start of his innings.

His third-wicket stand of 156 with Will Jacks (84 off 82 balls) swung the momentum England’s way and the team maintained it when the big-hitting Liam Livingstone came in at No. 6 and immediately smashed two sixes.

Brook used the uppercut to great effect to deal with some short-pitched bowling from the Australians and hit a straight drive for four to get to 99. Off the next ball, he opened the face and edged for another four to reach his century, prompting him to remove his helmet and look to the sky.

Brook’s second fifty came off just 33 deliveries.

England’s push for victory was then held up by the rain that arrived in the 38th over. It got heavier and heavier, with the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern formula showing that the hosts were well in front of the run-rate.

Brook made some interesting comments after the series opener in Nottingham, reflecting on some loose dismissals by saying: “If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field, then who cares?”

He said his words had been misunderstood.

“I think people took that a little bit the wrong way. You’ve got to go out and play fearlessly and almost have that ‘who cares?’ attitude. But that’s not a ‘who cares if we lose?’ attitude,” Brook said.

“We all want to win, but you don’t want to go out and have that fear of getting out."

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australia's Alex Carey batts during the third one day international cricket match between England and Australia in County Durham, England, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

Australia's Glenn Maxwell, centre left, celebrates with teammates after catching out England's Ben Duckett during the third day of international match at the Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

England's Jofra Archer, left, celebrates taking the wicket of Australia's Steven Smith during the third one day international cricket match between England and Australia in County Durham, England, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

England's Harry Brook celebrates 100 runs during the third day international match at the Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

England's Harry Brook celebrates 100 runs during the third day international match at the Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)