Real Madrid Escape Elche With 3-2 Win as Carlos Espí Delivers Stoppage Time Winner

Real Madrid Climb Level With Barcelona After Dramatic Elche Victory

Real Madrid survived a dramatic second half comeback at Elche on Tuesday, edging the hosts 3-2 after Carlos Espí scored a stoppage time winner from a Kylian Mbappé assist to move José Mourinho’s side level on points with Barcelona at the top of LaLiga.

Espí, a summer signing from Levante, once again proved to be Madrid’s late game difference maker. The substitute stepped off the bench to rescue Real for the second time this season after scoring a last minute winner on his debut at Espanyol on the opening day.

Madrid appeared firmly in control at halftime after taking a 2-0 lead through an own goal from Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro and Mbappé’s seventh league goal of the season. However, Elche responded after the break, with Abiel Osorio cutting the deficit before substitute Fer Niño equalized in the 83rd minute.

Just when Elche appeared poised to complete the comeback, Madrid struck in the first minute of stoppage time. Mbappé broke down the left before delivering a cross into the penalty area, where Espí arrived to tap the ball home and secure all three points for the visitors.

Mbappé Continues His Remarkable Scoring Run

Madrid could have taken the lead as early as the second minute when Vinícius Júnior found himself unmarked at the back post, but the Brazilian side-footed his golden opportunity wide. Dean Huijsen also tested Dituro, with the Elche goalkeeper comfortably holding his header from an Arda Güler cross.

Elche showed that it would not simply sit back, as Osorio fired a wayward effort before Tete Morente forced Thibaut Courtois into a low save. Madrid finally broke through in the 25th minute after Elche were punished for a clumsy foul by Sangaré on Federico Valverde. Güler’s resulting free kick struck the post before rebounding off the stationary Dituro and into the net for an unfortunate own goal.

Eight minutes later, Madrid doubled its advantage. Yan Diomande delivered a cross from the right that found Mbappé inside the penalty area, and the French forward squeezed his shot beyond the advancing Dituro and into the bottom corner. The goal marked Mbappé’s seventh in six LaLiga appearances this season, continuing an extraordinary start to his league campaign.

Osorio and Fer Niño Complete the Comeback

Despite trailing by two goals, Elche continued to threaten and nearly pulled one back before halftime. Osorio’s shot on the turn narrowly missed the target, while Morente’s low effort forced another save from Courtois.

Mourinho’s side adopted a more conservative approach after the break, sitting deeper and looking to exploit Elche on the counterattack. Vinícius had another opportunity to extend Madrid’s lead but fired wide after receiving a cross from Güler.

Elche eventually made Madrid pay for its missed opportunities in the 71st minute. Substitute Lucas Cepeda reached the byline and delivered a dangerous cross into the box, where Osorio rose to beat Courtois with an excellent downward header. Madrid tried to restore its two-goal advantage, but Diomande saw an effort blocked and Trent Alexander-Arnold sent a free kick off target.

Elche’s persistence was rewarded again in the 83rd minute. Osorio was given too much time and space to advance before finding Fer Niño inside the penalty area. The substitute had room to pick his spot and calmly fired a low finish into the bottom corner, sending the home crowd into celebration.

Real Madrid Find a Way to Escape With Three Points

With momentum firmly on Elche’s side, the hosts pushed forward looking for a winner. Instead, Madrid found the decisive breakthrough. In the first minute of added time, Mbappé collected the ball on the left and surged forward before sending a cross into the penalty area. Espí was in the right place at the right time, tapping the ball home to restore Madrid’s lead and silence the home crowd.

The late winner capped another memorable appearance for the young forward, who has already established himself as an unlikely source of decisive goals early in his Madrid career. The victory also represented another important response from Madrid following its recent defeat at Real Betis.

The club bounced back by defeating Inter Milan in its Champions League opener last week before beating Rayo Vallecano 4-1 on Saturday. Madrid now leaves Elche with another hard-earned victory and three more points in the title race, while Elche remains winless through its opening six matches and sits at the bottom of the LaLiga table.