Real Madrid's Spanish forward Carlos Espi Escrihuela celebrated scoring his team's third goal during the La Liga match against Elche CF at the Martinez Valero Stadium in Elche on September 15, 2026. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)
Real Madrid substitute Carlos Espi grabbed a last-minute 3-2 win at Elche on Tuesday. This victory puts them level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Espi, who saved Madrid in their opening game against Espanyol with a late goal, scored again in the 91st minute. He tucked the ball in at the back post after Madrid had blown a two-goal lead.
Espi joined Madrid this summer from Levante but has not started a match yet. Both of his goals have been important for Jose Mourinho’s team.
Madrid has won five out of six matches, tying on points with defending champions Barcelona. Barcelona will host Racing Santander on Wednesday.
“Mourinho said, “(Espi) comes on with great motivation, but he has in front of him a player who is not a normal player.” This was in reference to Kylian Mbappe, who also scored for Madrid.
“Playing with the two of them is not easy. With the changes I made late on, I risked everything because a draw was not enough,” he added.
Mourinho expressed his frustration that his team did not keep their 2-0 lead and allowed Elche, now at the bottom of La Liga, to come back.
“There are games which seem to be over, which we’re not killing off. After not killing them off, they go from easy to being out of control,” the experienced coach said.
For the first time this season, Mourinho rested Jude Bellingham and brought in Arda Guler instead.
Players from both sides wore T-shirts showing support for residents of Ceuta after the recent migration crisis in North Africa. However, Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Ibrahima Konate rolled their shirts halfway up, partly hiding the message “we are all Ceutans.”
Vinicius has struggled with his form this season and missed some good chances at the Martinez Valero stadium.
He shot wide after Guler set him up in the second minute, and he missed another chance from the edge of the box.
At the other end, Tete Morente posed a threat, but Madrid took control and scored first midway through the first half.
Guler curled a free-kick that hit the post, bouncing off Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro for an own goal.
Madrid doubled their lead eight minutes later, thanks to their record signing Yan Diomande, who got his first assist for the club.
Starting for the second time, the Ivorian winger crossed for Mbappe, who slipped past Dituro for his eighth goal of the season in all competitions.
Mbappe collided with the goalkeeper and seemed hurt but quickly recovered to continue playing.
He combined with Diomande early in the second half but only managed to head the winger’s powerful cross over the bar.
Vinicius shot wide before being replaced, ending a frustrating night for the Brazilian.
Elche got one back when Abiel Osorio headed in Lucas Cepeda’s cross, rising high to nod past Thibaut Courtois.
This goal worried Los Blancos, and Elche equalized in the 83rd minute through Nino.
The Spanish striker finished low to level the score with the 15-time European champions.
Mourinho brought on strikers Espi and Endrick to find a late winner, and he got what he wanted.
Espi made a run to the back post where Mbappe found him, and he scored the late winner.
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