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MADRID (AP) — Carlos Espí scored in stoppage time after a nifty move by Jude Bellingham and an assist by Kylian Mbappé to help Real Madrid salvage a 3-2 win at Elche in the Spanish league after it relinquished a two-goal lead on Tuesday.
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Bellingham used a neat long touch to get past an opponent near midfield and fed Mbappé in a breakaway into the area, and the France star quickly set up Espí’s close-range score to give Madrid the victory and move the Spanish powerhouse even on points with Barcelona. The defending champion can regain the lead when it hosts promoted Racing Santander on Wednesday.
Madrid had taken the lead against Elche with an own-goal by Matías Dituro in the 25th, then Mbappé added to the lead by scoring from close range after an assist by Yan Diomande in the 33rd.
Abiel Osorio pulled the hosts closer with a header in the 71st and Fer Niño netted the equalizer in the 83rd.
There was a bit of a scare immediately after Mbappé scored as he stayed on the ground in visible pain, but he eventually returned to the field after being attended by Madrid doctors.
The goal moved him to seven goals in six league matches, one goal more than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Sergio Camello and Roberto Fernández.
Mbappé had scored a brace in Madrid’s 4-1 win against Rayo Vallecano in the previous round.
He had a goal disallowed for offside just before halftime on Tuesday.
Madrid’s only league setback this season was at Real Betis two rounds ago.
Valencia wins after shake-up
Valencia won 1-0 at Alaves to end a four-game losing streak and an unbeaten start to the season.
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The string of poor results had led to the firing of coach Carlos Corberán and soccer CEO Ron Gourlay this weekend. It then appointed Braulio Vázquez as its new sporting director and said B-team coach Óscar Sánchez as the interim manager.
Luis Rioja scored a 78th-minute winner for Valencia, which had been outscored 10-1 so far.
Valencia fans had been protesting and called players “mercenaries” after the 5-0 home loss to Barcelona. They have long called for the exit of owner Peter Lim.
Rayo Vallecano triumphs in Butarque again
Rayo Vallecano beat Espanyol 2-1 with first-half goals by Álvaro García and Adria Pedrosa in what may have been its last match before returning home to Vallecas Stadium.
It was Rayo’s third home game played at Butarque Stadium — which belongs to second-tier club Leganes — because of unsafe conditions at Vallecas. It also beat Racing Santander 3-2 and drew Alaves 1-1 at Butarque.
Roberto Fernández scored for Espanyol in stoppage time for his sixth goal in six matches.
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