Real Madrid Escape Defeat Against Elche and Take Sole Lead in La Liga

The clash between Elche and Real Madrid unfolded like a true football thriller. The first half ended goalless, but right after the break the home side stunned the visitors: Aleix Febas struck precisely in the 53rd minute to give Elche a deserved lead.
Real Madrid only truly woke up deep into the second half. In the 78th minute, young defender Willy Kjelseth Höijsen leveled the score, seemingly shifting the momentum. But the drama was far from over. Just six minutes later, Álvaro Rodríguez fired Elche back in front, and the stadium in Alicante began to buzz with the scent of a potential upset.
Yet the La Liga giants refused to crumble. In the 87th minute, Jude Bellingham capped off a lightning-fast counterattack to seal a 2–2 draw, rescuing a crucial point for Real Madrid, who now stand alone at the top of La Liga.
2025-26, Spain - La Liga
Elche - Real 2:2 (0:0)
Goals: Febas, 53 (1:0); Huijsen, 78 (1:1); Rodriguez Alvaro, 84 (2:1); Bellingham, 87 (2:2)
Elche: Peña I.; Núñez Ál.; Affengruber; Chust (till 90); Fort H. (Pedrosa, 66); Aguado M. (Redondo, 83); Valera G. (Pétrot L., 83); Febas; Diangana (Neto Mar., 66); André Silva (Rodriguez Alvaro, 79); Rafa Mir
Substitution: Pedrosa (from 66); Neto Mar. (from 66); Rodriguez Alvaro (from 79); Pétrot L. (from 83); Redondo (from 83)
Bench: Dituro; Diaby Bam.; Donald J.; Bigas; Santiago; Boayar; Mendoza R.
Yellow Cards: Affengruber 57; Chust 68, 90; Febas 88
Red cards: Chust 90'
Real: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold; Asencio R.; Fernandez Ál. (Diaz Br., 88); García Fr. (Valverde F., 57); Huijsen; Güler A. (García G., 64); Dani Ceballos (Camavinga, 57); Bellingham; Mbappé; Rodrygo (Vinícius Júnior, 57)
Substitution: Camavinga (from 57); Valverde F. (from 57); Vinícius Júnior (from 57); García G. (from 64); Diaz Br. (from 88)
Bench: Lunin Andriy; Mestre; Mendy Fe.; Endrick
