Real Madrid 3-0 Elche

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
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Real Madrid

• 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

• 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

Posted at

Match ends, Real Madrid 3, Elche 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+3'

Second Half ends, Real Madrid 3, Elche 0.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Casemiro (Real Madrid).

Posted at 90'+2'

Manu Herrera (Elche) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+2'

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Manu Herrera.

Posted at 90'+2'

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.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Álvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid).

Posted at 90'+1'

Fidel (Elche) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 90'

Isco (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Javier Márquez (Elche).

Posted at 88'

Offside, Real Madrid. Álvaro Morata tries a through ball, but Gareth Bale is caught offside.

Posted at 88'

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.

Posted at 85'

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.

Posted at 85'

Isco (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Rubén Pérez (Elche).

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Real Madrid. Casemiro replaces Xabi Alonso.

Posted at 82'

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

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Real Madrid. Álvaro Morata replaces Karim Benzema.

Goal!

Posted at 81'

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

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Elche. Cristian Herrera replaces Carles Gil.

Posted at 78'

Offside, Real Madrid. Ángel Di María tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.

Posted at 76'

Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Carles Gil (Elche).

Posted at 75'

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Alberto Botía.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Real Madrid. Isco replaces Jesé.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Elche. Fidel replaces Manu del Moral.

Substitution

Posted at 73'

Substitution, Elche. Aarón replaces Alberto Rivera.

Posted at 73'

Asier Illarramendi (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Javier Márquez (Elche).

Goal!

Posted at 71'

Goal! Real Madrid 2, Elche 0. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Xabi Alonso.

Posted at 71'

Attempt missed. Coro (Elche) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Posted at 70'

Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Rubén Pérez (Elche).

Booking

Posted at 70'

Javier Márquez (Elche) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 70'

Ángel Di María (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Javier Márquez (Elche).

Posted at 70'

Attempt blocked. Coro (Elche) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Carles Gil.

Posted at 69'

Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).

Posted at 69'

Manu del Moral (Elche) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 68'

Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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