Levante 3-2 Elche
If Levante manager Luis Castro deserved a degree of eye-rolling for calling their 21st game of a 38-game season a final, there was no denying him that it was important. Under the Friday night lights with loud crowd, his side were six points away from biggest rivals Valencia, and safety. At home, in another regional derby against Elche, a fellow newly-promoted side, it felt like a huge game.
The fans responded, with every foray forward met by enthusiastic applause and palpable tension. Karl Etta Eyong nearly connected with a clipped cross from close range, Carlos Alvarez attempted a spectacular overhead kick, and Isaac Romero flicked a ball narrowly high of Inaki Pena’s goal – they were given things to get excited about.
Between those forays forward though, Elche warned first with a whistling effort from Grady Diangana clearing the post, before in the 11th minute, Alvaro Rodriguez took out his silencer. German Valera and Aleix Febas exchanged passes in the inside left channel, with Febas slipping the ball to the centre of the box. His pass was deflected though, and Rodriguez had the presence of mind to realise that with his first touch he could jab the ball around the centre-back, and finish with his second.
At no point were Elche comfortable defensively as Levante tried to keep the tempo high, not were they splitting Levante open going forward, but they did work diligently and with confidence. When David Affengruber couldn’t hack clear a cross though, Etta Eyong showed none of the composure Rodriguez exhibited, blazing over, albeit under pressure. The Cameroon forward, starting his second game back after AFCON, looked out of sync with his teammates, spreading groans around the Ciutat de Valencia stadium.
Levante stuff Elche’s midfield designs
That confidence sidled over the line though, and Elche will feel they were as much to blame as Levante were to credit for the equaliser. Just five minutes after the break, Jeremy Toljan clipped a hopeful cross in from the right flank. To the surprise of everyone, Pablo Martinez had wandered into the six-yard box completely unmarked, and he got enough on the cross to sneak it past Pena.
More than a particular swing in how the game was being played, the pendulum of confidence was visible on the pitch. Alvarez curled one over the bar after Theo Petrot was caught on the ball, symbolic of the increasing interruptions Levante were causing in Elche’s build-up.
Elche had comfortable possession in their own half, when Levante showed them down a blind alley, and Carlos Alvarez beat Petrot to the ball, squaring for Etta Eyong. With the goal gaping, Inaki Pena produced a sensational scrambling save, before Ivan Romero bulleted the follow-up off Etta Eyong and over.
Once the crowd had recovered from the shock of the ball not being in the net, they gave them the due roar of encouragement, and less than a minute later, Adrian de la Fuente gave them the chance to roar again. Rising high to meet a set-piece, he flicked it into the corner to give Levante a by now deserved lead with 20 minutes remaining.
The game had changed based on Levante’s blockage of the Elche midfield, playing four very narrow forwards and two midfielders behind them mopping things up. Unable to find a way around or over Castro’s masterplan, Los Granotas were able to battle their way through. Rodriguez had left the game for Elche, and lacking a focal point when they did reach the final third.
FINAAAAL
IN IT
CIUTAAAAAT🐸⚔️🐸⚔️🐸#LevanteUD 3-2 @elchecf #LevanteUDElche pic.twitter.com/HX2R92wyGd
— Levante UD (@LevanteUD) January 23, 2026
It looked as if Levante had done their work, but Elche had one final throw of the dice. A cross from the left was cushioned by Alex Sanchez, before a brilliant overhead kick from youngster Adam Boayar found the corner, breaking Levante hearts.
Only this Castro-fuelled Levante are made from sterner stuff. As the crowd lamented their misfortune, Levante found themselves with two consecutive corners. The second, in the 95th minute, was flicked at the near post by Alan Matturro and into the far corner, taking the roof off.
A hard week in training awaits the Elche players, with the already charged Eder Sarabia hopping with fury, as they pick up the pieces from a fifth straight game without a win.
‘Yes we can’ rumbled through the Ciutat de Valencia after the match, and Levante now have reason to believe they can. Under Castro, Los Granotas have two wins and a draw fom their opening four games, and are now just three points away from safety. The Portuguese manager has given his side the tools to put themselves in games, and his squad have shown they have the character to turn that into points.
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