Mbappe, Espi Lead Real Madrid to Thrilling Win Over Elche in La Liga 2026

Real Madrid claimed a thrilling 3-2 victory over Elche in a dramatic contest that saw the visitors surrender a two-goal advantage before finding a decisive winner late in the match.

Madrid made a fast and confident start to the match, taking control of the scoreline during the opening half. Their first goal arrived in the 25th minute, when Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro was credited with an own goal. The unfortunate moment gave Real Madrid the breakthrough and put the visitors in front.

The Spanish giants quickly built on that advantage. Kylian Mbappe added a second goal in the 33rd minute, giving Real Madrid a 2-0 lead and placing Elche in a difficult position before halftime. With Madrid holding a comfortable advantage, the visitors appeared to be heading toward a relatively straightforward victory.

Elche, however, produced a completely different response after the break. The home side refused to allow the two-goal deficit to decide the contest. Their persistence eventually paid off in the 71st minute when Abiel Osorio found the net. The goal reduced Madrid's advantage to 2-1 and gave Elche renewed confidence.

The momentum continued to shift as Elche pushed for an equalizer. Their efforts were rewarded in the 83rd minute when Fernando Nino scored to make it 2-2. What had looked like a comfortable Madrid victory had suddenly become a tense battle with both teams searching for the decisive goal.

However, Real Madrid ultimately had the final say, as deep into the stoppage time, Carlos Espi struck the winner to restore Madrid's lead. The late strike changed the atmosphere once again, putting Real Madrid back in front at 3-2 when Elche had fought their way back from two goals down.

Mbappe also played a role in the decisive moment, providing the assist for Espi's late goal. His contribution meant that the French forward was involved in two of Madrid's three goals during the match.

The final whistle confirmed a narrow victory for Real Madrid, but the scoreline reflected a contest that became increasingly unpredictable as the game progressed. Madrid's early two-goal cushion disappeared in the space of the second half, only for the visitors to produce one final attacking moment when the match was almost over.

For Elche, the defeat will be particularly frustrating. After falling 2-0 behind, the hosts showed considerable determination to bring the game level at 2-2. Osorio and Nino's goals transformed the match and gave Elche an opportunity to take something from the encounter. However, Espi's stoppage-time goal denied them that chance.