Carlos Espí’s Late Goal Lifts Real Madrid to 3-2 Win at Elche, Mbappé Scores Again/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Carlos Espí scored in stoppage time to give Real Madrid a dramatic 3-2 La Liga victory at Elche. Madrid surrendered a two-goal advantage before Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé combined to create the winning goal. Mbappé scored his seventh league goal as Madrid moved level with Barcelona on points.
Quick Look
- Final score: Elche 2, Real Madrid 3
- Winning scorer: Carlos Espí
- Winning goal: 91st minute
- Other Madrid goals: Matthias Dituro own goal and Kylian Mbappe
- Elche scorers: Abiel Osorio and Fer Niño
- Mbappé’s league total: Seven goals in six matches
- Real Madrid league record: Five wins and one loss
- Valencia beat Alaves 1-0 for its first win.
- Rayo Vallecano defeated Espanyol 2-1.
Deep Look
Espí gives Madrid a dramatic victory
MADRID — Carlos Espí scored in stoppage time as Real Madrid escaped with a 3-2 victory at Elche after surrendering a two-goal lead.
The winning move began near midfield when Jude Bellingham used a long touch to move past an opponent before releasing Kylian Mbappé on a breakaway.
Mbappé entered the penalty area and quickly passed to Espí, who scored from close range in the 91st minute.
The result moved Real Madrid level on points with defending champion Barcelona, which was scheduled to host promoted Racing Santander on Wednesday.
“We went from having it easy to losing control,” Real Madrid coach José Mourinho said. “But in the difficulty of the moment, facing the pressure of losing points, the team reacted and won the match, which in the end is the most important thing. The good thing is that nobody gets bored when Real Madrid plays. The games are always fun.”
Madrid builds an early two-goal lead
Real Madrid went ahead in the 25th minute after Arda Guler struck a powerful free kick.
The ball ricocheted off Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro and entered the net, resulting in an own goal.
Mbappé doubled Madrid’s advantage eight minutes later. Yan Diomande supplied the assist, allowing the France captain to finish from close range in the 33rd minute.
Mbappé remained on the ground in visible pain immediately after scoring and received treatment from Madrid’s medical staff. He was ultimately able to return to the match.
The forward also had another goal disallowed for offside shortly before halftime.
Elche erases Madrid's advantage
Real Madrid appeared to be in control before Elche mounted a second-half comeback.
Abiel Osorio reduced the deficit with a header in the 71st minute. Fer Niño then scored the equalizer in the 83rd, putting Madrid in danger of dropping two points.
Bellingham had entered the match as a substitute for Guler in the 68th minute. His work in stoppage time helped create the decisive counterattack, with Mbappé recording the final assist.
Official La Liga match records confirmed the 3-2 result and Espí’s 91st-minute winner.
Mbappé leads La Liga scoring race
Mbappé’s goal increased his total to seven in six league appearances this season.
He has one more goal than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Sergio Camello and Roberto Fernández.
Mbappé scored twice in Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the previous round, continuing his productive start to the campaign.
Madrid has won five of its first six league matches. Its only defeat came against Real Betis two rounds earlier.
The victory left Madrid level with Barcelona at the top before the defending champion’s sixth match, according to the official La Liga standings.
Players partially wear Ceuta support shirts
Players from Real Madrid and Elche entered the field wearing shirts bearing words of support for Ceuta.
Madrid players Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté wore the shirts only partway down their chests, obscuring some of the message. Mbappé and Vinícius removed them before greeting the opposing players and match officials.
The players did not immediately explain their actions.
The show of support followed events in July, when tens of thousands of migrants crossed the border separating Morocco from Ceuta, Spain’s North African territory.
Valencia wins after leadership changes
Valencia defeated Alaves 1-0, ending a four-game losing streak and recording its first victory of the season.
A string of poor results led Valencia to fire coach Carlos Corberán and soccer chief executive Ron Gourlay during the weekend.
The club appointed Braulio Vázquez as sporting director and promoted B-team coach Óscar Sánchez to serve as interim manager.
Luis Rioja scored the winning goal in the 78th minute. Before the match, Valencia had been outscored 10-1 during its winless start.
Supporters had protested the club’s performances and called the players “mercenaries” after a 5-0 home defeat against Barcelona. Fans have also repeatedly demanded the departure of owner Peter Lim.
Rayo wins another match at Butarque
Rayo Vallecano earned a 2-1 victory over Espanyol behind first-half goals from Álvaro García and Adria Pedrosa.
The game may have been Rayo’s final temporary home appearance at Butarque Stadium before the club returns to Vallecas Stadium.
Rayo played three home matches at Butarque, the ground of second-division club Leganes, because of unsafe conditions at Vallecas.
The club also defeated Racing Santander 3-2 and drew Alaves 1-1 during its temporary stay.
Roberto Fernández scored Espanyol’s second-half goalgiving him six goals in six league matches.
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