Real Madrid beat Elche 3-2 in LaLiga on Tuesday after substitute Carlos Espi scored a stoppage-time winner at the Martinez Valero stadium. The young forward struck in the 91st minute to restore the lead after the host side had staged a second-half comeback from two goals down.
The victory keeps Jose Mourinho's team second in the Spanish league standings, level on points with leaders Barcelona, who play Racing de Santander on Wednesday. Real Madrid had looked comfortable at half-time before surrendering their advantage during an erratic second-half display.
An own goal by Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro following an Arda Guler free kick and a strike from Kylian Mbappe had given Real Madrid a two-goal lead. However, Elche responded through Abiel Osorio and Fer Niño to level the score before Espi intervened late on.
Before kick-off, players from both teams entered the pitch wearing t-shirts bearing the slogan Todos somos caballas, meaning We are all caballas, in a message of support for the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta. Caballas is the traditional nickname for residents of Ceuta. However, Mbappe, Vinicius, and Konate wore their t-shirts half-rolled at chest level, partially obscuring the printed wording.
First half dominance
Once play got under way at the Estadio Martinez Valero in Elche, Real Madrid quickly established control of the encounter. Despite their dominance, defensive lapses occasionally allowed Elche chances, including a 17th-minute turning shot by Osorio that flew over the crossbar.
Real Madrid spent much of the opening period operating in the opponent's half, though they waited nearly half an hour to break the deadlock. Guler unblocked the scoreline in the 25th minute when his free kick from the edge of the penalty area struck the post and went into the net off goalkeeper Dituro.
The opening goal gave Real Madrid extra momentum, and they doubled their advantage eight minutes later in the 33rd minute. Yan Diomande launched a powerful run down the wing and delivered a precise ball into the box, where Mbappe arrived to finish past Dituro.
Making his second start for Real Madrid, Ivoirian winger Diomande was one of the most effective attacking players on the pitch. He worked tirelessly in recovering possession and driving fast transitions toward the Elche penalty area during a strong first-half display.
Diomande linked up effectively with Mbappe throughout the opening 45 minutes, during which Real Madrid were the absolute masters of the match. The Spanish giants, 36-time domestic champions, appeared to be cruising toward a routine three points before experiencing a major drop in performance after the break.
Elche, who play their home matches at the 33,000-capacity Estadio Martinez Valero in the Valencian Community, struggled to contain Madrid during the early stages. However, the host side stayed in the contest and capitalized when the visitors began to lose discipline after half-time.
Second half comeback
Upon returning from the interval, Real Madrid stepped back, dropped their intensity, and suffered a breakdown in passing accuracy. While Madrid attempted to threaten on the counter-attack, Elche grew in confidence and found a lifeline in the 71st minute when Osorio scored with a header.
The goal spurred the host team to push forward against a disorganized Real Madrid side that struggled to control the tempo of the game. In the 83rd minute, a mistake by defender Marc Cucurella led to a low cross into the penalty box, which Fer Niño finished to equalize at 2-2.
Facing a frustrating draw, Mourinho turned to his substitutes and instructed his team to push forward, risking a potential third Elche goal in pursuit of the win. The gamble paid off in the first minute of stoppage time when Mbappe burst forward on a run and delivered a cross for Espi, who had just entered the pitch, to tap into the net for the 3-2 winner.
The late goal secured three vital points for Real Madrid, relieving the pressure after a chaotic half of football. Espi's strike ensured that Madrid maintained their strong position near the top of LaLiga heading into the rest of the matchday 6 fixtures.
Managerial reaction and wider LaLiga action
Speaking after the final whistle, Mourinho admitted that his team's passive periods after spells of high quality and numerous scoring chances were a cause for concern. The Portuguese manager noted that dropping intensity was worrying, though he praised his players for securing all three points.
Mourinho explained that he decided to take total tactical risks with his late substitutions because a draw was of no use to Real Madrid. He added that while the aggressive changes meant his side could have lost the match, taking that risk was necessary under the circumstances.
In Tuesday's other LaLiga matches, Rayo Vallecano earned a 2-1 victory over Espanyol, who ended the match with ten men following the expulsion of Omar El Hilali in the 98th minute. Rayo established a two-goal lead through Alvaro Garcia in the third minute and Adria Pedrosa in the 26th minute, before Roberto Fernandez scored Espanyol's sole goal in the 54th minute.
Elsewhere, Valencia achieved their first victory of the season with a 1-0 win against Alaves. Luis Rioja scored the decisive goal for Valencia, coming just two days after the club dismissed head coach Carlos Corberan.
Real Madrid's victory keeps them tied on points with rivals Barcelona at the top of LaLiga, with Barcelona set to face Racing de Santander on Wednesday in their matchday 6 fixture.
