By Real Madrid secured their fifth victory of the LaLiga campaign after a thrilling and hard-fought encounter at the Martínez Valero stadium, ultimately defeating a resilient Elche side in the dying moments of the match.
Under Mourinho’s direction, Los Blancos looked firmly in control during a dominant first half, only to be dragged into a tense battle before snatching all three points late in injury time.
Control and First-Half Brilliance
From the opening whistle, Elche attempted to disrupt Madrid’s rhythm with high-intensity pressing. However, the visitors quickly took control. Early warning signs came when Matías Dituro denied Kylian Mbappé from close range, and Vinícius Jr. narrowly missed wide following a precise through ball from Arda Güler. Dean Huijsen also came close in the 11th minute, forcing a goal-line save from a header off a corner.
Madrid’s persistence finally broke the deadlock in the 25th minute. Arda Güler unleashed a magnificent left-footed free-kick that rattled the post, ricocheted off goalkeeper Dituro’s hand, and crossed the line as an unfortunate own goal. Just eight minutes later, the visitors doubled their advantage.
Ousmane Diomande surged down the right flank and whipped in a brilliant low delivery to Mbappé, who clinically finished with his right foot to make it 0-2. Despite further chances from Vinícius Jr. and a sharp save by Thibaut Courtois to deny Morente before the break, Madrid headed into halftime with a comfortable cushion.
Elche’s Fierce Resurgence
The second half brought a shift in momentum as Elche fought their way back into the contest. While Neto and Mbappé traded early efforts, the game opened up into an end-to-end affair.
Elche’s persistence paid off in the 71st minute when Osorio rose to head past Courtois, cutting the deficit. Buoyed by a passionate home crowd, the hosts intensified their pressure, capitalizing on Madrid’s defensive lapses. In the 83rd minute, F. Niño latched onto a loose ball inside the box, squeezing a scuffed shot past the defence to level the score at 2-2 and stun the visitors.
Espí Steals the Show
Refusing to drop points, Real Madrid threw everything forward in search of a winner during the closing stages. The decisive moment arrived deep into injury time. Jude Bellingham orchestrated a brilliant individual sequence down the left wing, slicing through the defence before picking out Mbappé. The French forward drove into the area and unselfishly squared the ball to substitute Carlos Espí, who tapped home with ease to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory.
It was a stark reminder of Real Madrid’s resilience, escaping Elche with three vital points after a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
