Carlos Espi scored a 91st-minute winner as Real Madrid survived an almighty scare to win 3-2 at Elche in LaLiga.
Jose Mourinho’s males appeared on target for a routine win after a Matias Dituro personal objective and a strike from Kylian Mbappe put them in command at Estadio Martínez Valero.
However Elche confirmed outstanding character to struggle again and put themselves on the cusp of a share of the spoils, Abiel Osorio and Fer Nino erasing Madrid’s benefit.
But the hosts have been arguably victims of their ambition as they have been caught on the counter in stoppage time, Mbappe squaring for Espi to faucet in and forestall Madrid struggling one other damaging early setback within the LaLiga title race.
The win strikes Madrid stage on factors with Barcelona at the top of LaLiga. Hansi Flick’s aspect host Racing Santander on Wednesday.
Madrid survive huge scare
Madrid’s sole slip-up up to now this season got here of their final away sport, a 1-0 defeat to Actual Betis, and there have been early warning indicators in Elche that they’d be in for one more troublesome encounter regardless of the hosts failing to win any of their opening 5 video games.
Elche began the sport brightly, with Tete Morente firing narrowly huge earlier than Osorio powered over the bar as two early possibilities went begging.
Vinicius Junior skewed huge with the objective seemingly at his mercy on the different finish, however Elche have been made to pay for his or her profligacy when Arda Guler curled an outstanding free-kick in off the publish, although he was not given credit score for the objective because the ball flicked off Dituro’s hand on the best way into the web.
And Madrid’s lead was doubled eight minutes later as Yan Diomande was despatched by way of down the correct, with the Ivory Coast winger then producing a superbly weighted cross for Mbappe to fit house.
The Madrid talisman required therapy following a collision with the goalkeeper within the act of scoring, however he was concerned as Madrid virtually made it 3-0. Mbappe laid the ball off for Vinicius following a fast Los Blancos break, however Dituro was equal to his low effort.
Mbappe appeared to have doubled his tally and given Madrid a three-goal benefit after he latched onto a throughball and rattled house on the close to publish, however the France star was denied by the offside flag.
Osorio lashed huge on the flip as Elche sought a route again into the competition, with Morente then stinging Courtois’ palms from lengthy rage.
Morente went shut with one other formidable effort that flew narrowly huge, although the hosts have been lucky that Vinicius’ disappointing night time in entrance of objective continued when he spurned one other likelihood by steering a first-time effort astray following good work from Guler.
Elche bought the objective their second-half displaying deserved within the 71st minute as substitute Luis Cepeda bought to the byline and dug out an inviting left-wing cross, which the spectacular Osorio headed again throughout objective and past Courtois.
Twelve minutes later Elche accomplished the comeback. Thomas Lemar and Josan mixed properly to tee up Nino, who calmly produced an unerring strike into the far nook.
That objective appeared to spark Madrid again into life, nevertheless it seemed as if they’d drop extra factors on their travels when Espi fired huge on the flip.
However Espi, a match-winner at Espanyol in Madrid’s first sport of the season, might make no mistake with a easy end after Jude Bellingham performed Mbappe by way of on objective and he unselfishly put the ball on a plate for the substitute to seal victory.
