Kylian Mbappé supplied both the calm and the final surge as Real Madrid escaped with a 3-2 win at bottom club Elche on Tuesday night, setting up Carlos Espi’s 91st-minute winner after a remarkable home comeback.
Key takeaways
- Mbappé scored Real Madrid’s second goal and created the decisive strike for substitute Carlos Espi.
- Elche overturned a two-goal deficit through Abiel Osorio and Fer Niño but remain on two Liga points.
- Goalkeeper Matias Dituro conceded an own goal after Arda Güler’s free-kick hit the post.
- Espi replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold only four minutes before scoring into an unguarded net.
- The victory moved Madrid level with Barcelona temporarily before Barça’s Wednesday meeting with Santander.
Mbappé makes the difference in late Madrid escape
Real Madrid appeared to have put the contest beyond Elche before the interval, only to be dragged into a nervous finish by the Liga’s bottom side. Mbappé, the France captain, had already found the net when he became the creator of the match’s final twist.
Madrid’s first goal came in the 25th minute through a painful sequence for Elche goalkeeper Dituro. Güler struck a wide free-kick against the right-hand post, with the rebound then going in off the keeper’s back.
Mbappé doubled the visitors’ advantage eight minutes later. Yan Diomandé provided the delivery from the right, and the French forward finished from close range before colliding with Dituro. Mbappé stayed down briefly after taking a knock to his left thigh, but was able to continue.
He thought he had added another before the break, beating Dituro at the near post with a fierce effort, but the goal was ruled out for offside in the 41st minute.
Elche comeback falls short despite control of the ball
Elche had enough of the game to believe in an upset. The hosts finished with 56 per cent possession and had threatened repeatedly through Argentine forward Osorio, who had openings in the 17th, 32nd and 43rd minutes.
Osorio finally gave Elche a route back in when he headed home in the 71st minute. The pressure increased further in the 83rd, when Fer Niño, introduced around 15 minutes earlier, levelled with a low angled finish.
With the home side suddenly close to a major result, Madrid found one last move. Espi came on for Alexander-Arnold in the 87th minute, and four minutes later Jude Bellingham drove past his opponent before releasing Mbappé. The Frenchman crossed for Espi, who finished into the empty goal.
The late intervention completed a successful change from Mourinho and spared Madrid a damaging result against a side that began the evening at the foot of the table. Madrid now sit provisionally alongside Barcelona, who play Santander at 21:30 on Wednesday.
SEO Title: Mbappé assists late Real Madrid winner in Elche thriller
SEO Description: Kylian Mbappé scored and assisted Carlos Espi’s 91st-minute winner as Real Madrid beat Elche 3-2 after surrendering a two-goal lead.
