Match ends, Real Madrid 3, Elche 0.
Real MadridReal Madrid3ElcheElche0
Gareth Bale scored with a spectacular 30-yard strike as Real Madrid defeated Elche to move three points clear at the top of La Liga.
The £85m summer signing grabbed his 12th goal in 24 games in the 71st minute after Asier Illarramendi had given Los Blancos the lead with a deflected shot in the first half.
Midfielder Isco slotted in the third goal nine minutes from time.
Barcelona suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at Real Sociedad later on Saturday.
Atletico Madrid, who began the day in third but level on points with both Barca and Real, visit Osasuna on Sunday.
Real, who were without leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo as he served the final game of his three-match suspension, looked lacklustre in attack for much of the first half.
The only clear chance in the first 30 minutes fell to France striker Karim Benzema, who forced goalkeeper Manuel Herrera into a good save.
They finally made the breakthrough 11 minutes before the break when Illarramendi's shot came off Elche's Manu del Moral en route to beating Herrera.
It was the defensive midfielder's first league goal for Real since his summer move from Sociedad, and his first in 72 games.
Welshman Bale doubled the lead after the break when he crashed home a drive off the crossbar.
Spain international Isco made sure of the points late on as Carlo Ancelotti's side notched their 15th win in their past 16 games in all competitions
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 25López
- 15Carvajal
- 17Arbeloa
- 14AlonsoSubstituted forCasemiroat 83'minutes
- 3PepeBooked at 51mins
- 2Varane
- 24Illarramendi
- 22Di María
- 9BenzemaSubstituted forMorataat 82'minutes
- 11Bale
- 20Rodríguez RuizSubstituted forIscoat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Casillas
- 4Ramos
- 5da Silva Coentrão
- 16Casemiro
- 18Nacho
- 21Morata
- 23Isco
Elche
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Herrera Yagüe
- 23Cisma
- 21Albácar Gallego
- 6Pérez Minguez
- 3BotíaBooked at 63mins
- 4Rodríguez Lombán
- 5RiveraBooked at 40minsSubstituted forÑíguez Esclapezat 73'minutes
- 17MárquezBooked at 70mins
- 11Corominas
- 15GilSubstituted forHerreraat 79'minutes
- 14Del Moral FernándezSubstituted forChaves de la Torreat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Ñíguez Esclapez
- 8Mantecón
- 9Boakye
- 16Chaves de la Torre
- 18Pelegrín
- 28Herrera
- 31Álvarez Fernández
- Referee:
- Eduardo Prieto Iglesias
- Attendance:
- 68,500
Match Stats
Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamElche
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home9
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away19
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 3, Elche 0.
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Foul by Casemiro (Real Madrid).
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Manu Herrera (Elche) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Manu Herrera.
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Attempt saved. Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Isco.
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Foul by Álvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid).
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Fidel (Elche) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Isco (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Javier Márquez (Elche).
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Offside, Real Madrid. Álvaro Morata tries a through ball, but Gareth Bale is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Aarón (Elche) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Rubén Pérez.
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Attempt saved. Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Isco with a through ball.
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Isco (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Rubén Pérez (Elche).
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Casemiro replaces Xabi Alonso.
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Attempt missed. Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ángel Di María with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Álvaro Morata replaces Karim Benzema.
Goal!
Goal! Real Madrid 3, Elche 0. Isco (Real Madrid) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Karim Benzema.
Substitution
Substitution, Elche. Cristian Herrera replaces Carles Gil.
