Elche 1-1 Real Madrid: Los Blancos held to disappointing draw by LaLiga minnows

On Dec 30, 2020

Elche 1-1 Real Madrid: Los Blancos held to frustrating draw by LaLiga minnows as Fidel Chaves scores from the spot to cancel out Luka Modric opener leaving Zinedine Zidane’s side two points off Atletico in title hunt

Luka Modric gave the visitors the lead as he converted with a close-range header
Dani Carvajal gave away a penalty for a pull on Antonio Barragan’s shirt
Fidel Chaves converted to shockingly pull the hosts level after 57 minutes

Published: 17:21 EST, 30 December 2020 | Updated: 17:47 EST, 30 December 2020

Real Madrid lost ground on their neighbours Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga as they failed to beat Elche in their last game of 2020.

A win would have left them level on top with Diego Simeone’s side after they beat Getafe, but a second half penalty means Zinedine Zidane’s team close the year two points behind the pace setters having played two matches more.

Madrid took the lead with a Luka Modric header, his first for the club. He usually uses his head for thinking quicker than all the players around him but after 25 goals for the club he had nodded Madrid into the lead heading in the rebound after Marco Asensio’s shot had come back off the bar and bounced in front of him.

Dani Carvajal gave away a crucial penalty costing Real Madrid the victory against Elche

Veteran midfielder Luka Modric headed home to give the visitors the lead after 20 minutes

Fidel Chaves scored a penalty for the hosts to equalise after a shirt-pull by Carvajal

Real Madrid could not find a winner in a result that stopped them from going joint top

MATCH FACTS

Elche (4-4-2): Badia; Sanchez Mino, Josema, Gonzalo, Barragan; Fidel, Guti, Marcone, Rodriguez (Morente 74); Rigoni (Pomares 74), Boye (Carillo 87)

Subs not used: D.Rodriguez, Nino, Milla, Calvo, Luismi, Lucumi, Cifuentes, Nwankwo, Moran

Goal: Chaves 57

Booked: Verdu

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtois; Marcelo, Ramos, Varane, Carvajal; Kroos (Valverde 78), Casemiro, Modric; Asensio (Vinicius 86), Benzema, Vazquez (Hazard 77)

Subs not used: Militao, Nacho, Lunin, Jovic, Odriozola, Odegaard, Mendy, Mariano, Altube

Goal: Modric 20

Booked: Carvajal, Casemiro, Kroos

On 51 minutes Real Madrid gifted Elche a way back into the game when Dani Carvajal tugged at Antonio Barragan and Fidel Chaves scored the penalty past Thibaut Courtois.

Madrid had been on top despite Marcelo’s return to the starting line-up leaving the usual space down their left. Now they were in need of a goal and that had to beat on form Edu Badia in the Elche goal.

Twice he denied them the goal that would have put them back in front.

He saved from Sergio Ramos at close range just seconds after diving full stretch to his right to push away Carvajal’s shot.

With Madrid increasingly desperate Zinedine Zidane threw on Fede Valverde and Eden Hazard with 13 minutes left. But Asensio’s shot into a crowded area summed up the lack of ideas and he made way for Vinicius…