Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 victory against Elche at the Estadio Martínez Valero in a thrilling La Liga encounter which saw a very late winner.
The visitors looked comfortable after taking a two-goal lead, but the home team fought back strongly before a late winner sealed all three points for Los Blancos.
The match started at a fast pace, with Real Madrid creating chances and dominating play from the opening minutes.
Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe both threatened early as José Mourinho’s side looked determined to continue their strong start to the season.
Elche tried to stay compact in defense, but their opponent attacking quality soon made the difference as play carried on.
Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 24th minute through an own goal involving Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro.
Arda Güler delivered a dangerous free-kick that struck the post before rebounding off Dituro and into the net. The goal gave the home team a deserved 1-0 lead after dominating possession and creating the better opportunities.
The visitors doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute. Kylian Mbappe finished calmly after receiving an excellent pass from Diomande which made it 2-0.
The French forward timed his run perfectly before beating Dituro in a one-on-one situation while ensuring his side were cruising.
The assist from Diomande was equally impressive, as he picked out Mbappe with a precise pass inside the penalty area. The goal put Madrid in complete control before halftime.
They nearly added a third goal before the break, but Elche managed to stay in the contest. The home side showed more energy after the restart and gradually pushed Madrid deeper into their own half.
Mourinho’s team became more defensive in the second half, allowing the home team to enjoy more possession and build attacking momentum.
Their improvement was rewarded in the 71st minute. Osorio rose highest inside the box to head home from a well-delivered cross.
The goal lifted the home crowd and gave Elche fresh belief that a comeback was possible as the scoreline was 2-1. The Los Blancos suddenly looked nervous as their opponent continued to attack.
The equalizer arrived in the 83rd minute through Fernando Nino. The striker made an immediate impact and finished brilliantly with a low shot beyond Thibaut Courtois.
Elche had recovered from two goals down to make it 2-2, leaving Real Madrid in danger of dropping valuable points. The comeback came as a shocker to the away fans who were watching the game.
Just when it looked like the match would end level, Madrid found a late winner in stoppage time. Substitute Carlos Espí became the hero for the visitors after finishing a move created by Kylian Mbappe.
The French star provided the assist, and Espí made no mistake with his finish to restore Madrid’s lead and silence the home supporters as things became 3-2.
The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought 3-2 victory for Real Madrid. Mbappe played a key role with one goal and one assist, while Arda Güler also impressed with the free-kick that led to the opening goal.
The home side gave an outstanding performance as they held their own and mount an impressive comeback that ultimately fell just short after the late goal.
The win keeps Real Madrid’s positive run going in La Liga, while Elche will take encouragement from their second-half display despite suffering another narrow defeat.
Jose Mourinho now turn his attention to their next league fixture knowing they showed both quality and resilience to secure an important away victory despite slipping up for a bit.
