Carlos Espí scored in the final minute to give Real Madrid a 3-2 win at Elche. The match saw key moments from Arda Güler and Kylian Mbappé, and kept both teams under pressure until the end.
With the match tied and only seconds left, Carlos Espí found the net to give Real Madrid a 3-2 victory over Elche at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. Jude Bellingham set up the winner with a sharp pass, and Espí's finish quieted the home fans.
Earlier, Madrid took the lead after an own goal by Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro in the 25th minute, as confirmed by ESPN and other outlets. Eight minutes later, Kylian Mbappé doubled Madrid's advantage with a well-placed shot. At that point, Madrid looked in control, but Elche refused to give in.
After this victory, Real Madrid drew level on points with Barcelona at the top of LaLiga, intensifying the title race.
Elche pulled one back in the 70th minute when Abiel Osorio headed in a cross from Lucas Cepeda. The home crowd came alive, and twelve minutes later, a mistake from Marc Cucurella in Madrid’s buildup handed Fernando Niño the chance to equalize. Niño took it, making it 2-2 with less than ten minutes to go.
Madrid responded quickly. In the final moments, Bellingham, Mbappé, and Espí combined for the decisive play. Mbappé provided the final pass, and Espí finished it off to seal the win. The match stayed tense until the final whistle, with both teams pushing for a result.
This win comes after a stretch where Madrid’s depth and resilience have been questioned. As reported earlier, the club has dealt with injuries and frequent changes to the lineup, making this hard-fought result in Elche especially important for their season.
ESPN statistics show Real Madrid finished with 2.08 expected goals (xG) compared to Elche's 0.43, and had 54% possession with three shots on target against Elche's one. The match was officiated by Jesús Gil Manzano.
Matches like this at Martínez Valero show how small mistakes and late chances can decide games in Spain’s top league. Madrid’s ability to recover from defensive errors and take their chances late on kept them in the title race. Arda Güler and Kylian Mbappé made key contributions, but it was Carlos Espí’s late goal that settled it. Several sources have noted that this is not the first time Espí has scored a late winner for Madrid this season, adding to his reputation for delivering under pressure.
