Real Madrid Survives Late Scare to Defeat Elche 3-2
Carlos Espí struck in stoppage time to drag Real Madrid over the line at Elche, finishing off a dazzling move from Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé as the champions survived a collapse to win 3-2 in La Liga on Tuesday.
What looked like a routine away victory turned into a near-disaster. Then Madrid’s new attacking trident ripped the game away at the death.
Deep into added time, Bellingham took charge near midfield, gliding past a defender with a long, elegant touch that opened the pitch. He slid Mbappé through on the break, the France star bursting into the box before squaring unselfishly for Espí to tap in from close range. One touch, one swing of a boot, and Madrid were level on points with Barcelona again.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side can now move back clear at the top when it hosts promoted Racing Santander on Wednesday. It will arrive with three points, but also with a warning.
Madrid had seemed in cruise control by the half-hour mark. In the 25th minute, an own-goal from Matías Dituro handed the visitors the lead, the Elche goalkeeper turning the ball into his own net under pressure. Eight minutes later, Mbappé did what Mbappé does.
Yan Diomande slipped him in and the forward, lurking in the area, finished from close range to make it 2-0. That took him to seven goals in six league matches, nudging him ahead of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Sergio Camello and Roberto Fernández in the scoring charts.
For a few seconds, the mood shifted. Mbappé stayed on the turf after scoring, clearly in pain, with Madrid’s medical staff rushing on. The scare didn’t last long. He got back up and continued, a relief for a club already building its season around his goals.
He almost had another just before halftime, but this time the flag went up and an offside call wiped the strike away.
Madrid’s dominance, though, faded. Elche refused to fold and the game tilted.
In the 71st minute, Abiel Osorio rose to meet a cross and powered a header in to pull the hosts back into it. The stadium woke up. Madrid wobbled. Twelve minutes later, Fer Niño completed the comeback, striking in the 83rd to make it 2-2 and send a shock through the away bench.
A team that had only dropped points once in the league this season — at Real Betis two rounds ago — suddenly stared at another setback. Elche pushed, the clock ticked, and Madrid looked short of ideas.
Then Bellingham and Mbappé combined, Espí finished, and the champions escaped.
Valencia halt slide after shake-up
Earlier in the day, Valencia finally snapped. Then it finally responded.
A 1-0 win at Alaves ended a four-game losing streak and ruined the hosts’ unbeaten start to the season, just days after sweeping changes at Mestalla.
The club had reacted to its dire run — and a 5-0 home humiliation against Barcelona — by firing coach Carlos Corberán and soccer CEO Ron Gourlay over the weekend. Braulio Vázquez arrived as the new sporting director, while B-team coach Óscar Sánchez stepped in as interim manager.
The tension around the club had been growing. Valencia fans, furious with the team and long opposed to owner Peter Lim, had turned on the players, branding them “mercenaries” after that heavy defeat to Barça.
On the pitch, the numbers were just as ugly: outscored 10-1 across the four straight losses.
At Alaves, they finally found a response. Luis Rioja struck in the 78th minute, his goal enough to secure a badly needed victory and a sliver of calm after weeks of turmoil.
Rayo’s borrowed home stays kind
Rayo Vallecano, still in exile from Vallecas, made Butarque feel like home one more time.
Playing its third “home” match at Leganes’ Butarque Stadium because of unsafe conditions at Vallecas, Rayo beat Espanyol 2-1 thanks to two first-half blows from Álvaro García and Adria Pedrosa.
They had already beaten Racing Santander 3-2 and drawn 1-1 with Alaves at Butarque. This win may prove the last chapter of their temporary stay, and they made it count.
García struck first, Pedrosa added another, and Rayo controlled enough of the contest to keep Espanyol at arm’s length until stoppage time, when Roberto Fernández scored his sixth goal in six matches to set up a nervy finish.
Rayo held on. Madrid survived. Valencia breathed again.
Now the question hangs over the league leaders: was this just a wild night in Elche, or the first real sign that the title race will not be the procession many expected?
