Real Madrid avoided a surprising setback in La Liga with a 3-2 victory over Elche, sealed by a stoppage-time goal from substitute Carlos Espi. The win keeps Madrid level on points with league leaders Barcelona.
Match Summary
Real Madrid took the lead in the 25th minute when Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro inadvertently put the ball into his own net. Kylian Mbappe doubled the advantage in the 33rd minute, giving the visitors a comfortable cushion.
Elche responded after the break. Abel Osuero pulled one back in the 71st minute, and Fernando Ninio equalized in the 83rd, setting up a tense finale.
Just one minute into stoppage time, substitute Carlos Espi scored the winning goal, securing three valuable points for Real Madrid.
La Liga Standings Impact
With this victory, Real Madrid moved to 15 points, sitting second in the table, level on points with Barcelona but separated by goal difference. Barcelona were scheduled to face Racing Santander on Wednesday evening in the same round of fixtures.
Elche, meanwhile, remain at the bottom of the table with only 2 points, trailing Villarreal, who sit just above them, on goal difference.