Real Madrid took all three points from the Martínez Valero Stadium after beating Elche 2-3, in a side that pushed the white side to the limit until the very end, in a LaLiga clash that was decided in the closing minutes of the match.
How the match went
The match began with intensity, with an early yellow card for Yan Diomande in minute 4, setting the physical tone for a game that would end with more cards for the home side. Real Madrid took control of play in the opening stages and found reward before the half-hour mark.
Elche, despite controlling more of the ball for much of the match, failed to translate that territorial dominance into clear chances until well into the second half. Substitutions from both sides, particularly from minute 58 onward, sought to bring fresh legs to the game plans, and the match opened up in the final twenty minutes with a finish tighter than anyone expected.
Goals and key moments
The first blow on the scoreboard came in minute 33, when Kylian Mbappé made it 0-1 for Real Madrid after a fine attacking move, putting the visitors ahead during a spell of the match dominated by the whites.
The score remained unchanged well past the midpoint of the second half, until Elche found their reaction through Fer Niño, who had come on in minute 68 and scored in the 83rd minute to add drama to the closing stages of the match.
The decisive moment came in added time. Carlos Espí, who had entered the pitch just minutes earlier, in the 87th minute, scored in the 90+1' to seal the result in favor of the Merengue side, in a play that proved decisive for the final score.
The numbers
Elche were superior in possession, with 56% compared to Real Madrid's 44%, and also led in total passes (542 to 430) and completed passes (492 against 383), reflecting a team that sought to control the tempo of the match through circulation of the ball.
However, Real Madrid were more incisive in front of goal: they fired 20 shots compared to Elche's 11, though the gap in shots on target was tighter (4 to 3). The whites also dominated in corners (5-2) and offsides (5-1), a sign of a more vertical and direct attack.
The match saw a notable disparity in fouls committed: Elche racked up 21 compared to Real Madrid's 8, which translated into more yellow cards for the home side (4 to 2). No player saw a red card throughout the entire match.
How the table stands
With this victory, Real Madrid remain a firm contender at the top of the standings, sitting in second place with 15 points from 6 matches played, level on points with league leaders Barcelona, though having played one more game and with an inferior goal difference (+11 compared to +17).
Elche, for their part, remain mired at the bottom of the table. With this latest defeat, the Ilicitano side stay on just 2 points from 6 matchdays, occupying twentieth place, with a record of 0 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats, and a heavily negative goal difference of -8.
Our take
In our view, the match left a contradictory image of Elche: a team capable of standing up to their opponents and creating real danger in the closing minutes, as shown by Fer Niño's goal, but one that continues to pay dearly for the defensive errors keeping them at the bottom of the table with just 2 points after six matchdays.
Real Madrid, though effective in the key moments thanks to Mbappé and Carlos Espí's finish in stoppage time, did not show the solidity they have displayed in other matches this season. The number of chances conceded and the struggle to see out the game until the final whistle suggest that, despite the win, there are aspects still to polish ahead of their upcoming LaLiga fixtures.
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