New Delhi, March 15: Real Madrid has intensified the La Liga title race by defeating Elche 4-1. Following this victory, Real Madrid is now just one point behind Barcelona, who currently leads the table.
The match, held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, saw Real Madrid dominate from the outset. Antonio Rudiger opened the scoring in the 39th minute, capitalizing on a poorly cleared free kick from Elche with a powerful shot.
Federico Valverde then doubled the lead with a stunning shot from the flank, showcasing his excellent form after recently scoring a hat-trick against Manchester City.
The third goal came from Dean Huijsen in the 66th minute with a brilliant header, and Arda Güler sealed the match with a fourth goal, bringing the score to 4-1. Elche managed to score a consolation goal when young Real Madrid player Manuel Ángel accidentally put the ball into his own net.
In another match, Atletico Madrid triumphed in a local derby against Getafe CF with a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to a goal from Nahuel Molina in the seventh minute.
Meanwhile, Real Oviedo secured a crucial 1-0 win over Valencia, with captain David Costas scoring the only goal from a corner, keeping the team’s hopes of avoiding relegation alive.
Girona FC also celebrated a significant victory at home, defeating Athletic Bilbao 3-0. Hugo Rincón scored early in the third minute, followed by goals from Azzedine Ounahi and Claudio Echeverri in the second half to confirm the win.