Real Madrid escaped a potentially damaging drop of points in the La Liga title chase thanks to yet another late intervention from Carlos Espí. The young attacker once again proved to be the difference-maker for the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid made the trip to Alicante to take on Elche and seemed to be in full control after building a 2-0 advantage. But Elche responded after the interval and eventually pulled level late on, setting the stage for a tense conclusion.
Carlos Espí rescues Real Madrid at the death
With fewer than five minutes left on the clock, Carlos Espí came off the bench as Real Madrid pushed for a winning goal. The summer arrival wasted no time making his mark, latching onto a perfectly weighted layoff from Kylian Mbappé.
Espí’s finish put Real Madrid back in front and clinched all three points for the visitors. His late heroics prevented the dropped points that had seemed increasingly probable following Elche’s second-half resurgence.
This was not Espí’s first decisive moment of the season. He had already netted a late winner against Espanyol on the opening matchday of the campaign.
Real Madrid leans on Espí in La Liga
Espí’s two late winners have now directly influenced four of Real Madrid’s 15 points this season. His contributions have come despite both decisive goals arriving in the dying moments of matches.
Against Elche, Real Madrid had appeared comfortable with a two-goal cushion before the hosts flipped the script. The visitors were ultimately forced to turn to Espí to restore their lead in the final stages.
The young forward’s latest goal therefore added another significant chapter to his strong start to the campaign, with his two late winners directly securing points for Real Madrid.
La Liga race hands Espí another opportunity
Real Madrid’s visit to Alicante looked destined to become a frustrating result after Elche battled back from their two-goal deficit. Instead, Espí’s introduction altered the outcome in the closing minutes.
Kylian Mbappé’s layoff carved out the chance, and Espí ensured it was converted as Real Madrid headed back to the Spanish capital with all three points.
Following his late winner against Espanyol and his decisive strike against Elche, Espí has directly accounted for four of Real Madrid’s 15 points in La Liga this term.