Real Madrid moved to within one point of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a big win over Elche at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The opening half hour was uneventful, with neither side creating much of note. Elche, to their credit, were organised and composed, showing little of the anxiety you might expect from a side hovering above the relegation zone.
The deadlock was broken in somewhat fortuitous circumstances on 39 minutes. Valverde’s free-kick was palmed straight back into the danger area by goalkeeper Dituro, and Antonio Rudiger reacted fastest to guide a composed finish into the top-left corner.
Madrid needed only five minutes to double their advantage. Valverde collected the ball on the edge of the box, took his time and curled an unstoppable right-footed effort into the top-right corner.
It was his fifth goal in three games across all competitions, following his Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City in midweek.
Academy trust pays off
Arbeloa rang the changes at the hour mark, withdrawing several first-team regulars and handing opportunities to a clutch of academy products.
Far from disrupting the performance, the replacements maintained the level. Dean Huijsen headed home a third on 66 minutes, unmarked at the back post from Daniel Yanez’s cross, to put the result beyond any doubt.
Thibaut Courtois was barely tested throughout, making his one notable contribution deep in stoppage time when he tipped over a close-range effort from Silva to preserve the scoreline.
But Elche pulled one back on 85 minutes, though it was not one their players will care to remember. Manuel Angel inadvertently turned Grady Diangana’s cut-back into his own net, catching the post on the way in.
The final word belonged to Arda Guler. Picking the ball up deep inside his own half, the substitute spotted Dituro off his line and struck cleanly from 60 yards. The ball sailed into the net, a genuine contender for goal of the season and a stunning conclusion to a comfortable evening.
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