Asier Illarramendi scored his first league goal for Real Madrid to send his team on their way to their 15th consecutive home victory in all competitions yesterday.
The summer signing from Real Sociedad was enjoying a rare start in place of the suspended Luka Modric, and took full advantage of his opportunity by blasting home a deflected strike to end Elche’s resistance.
Gareth Bale crashed home the second with a superb long-range strike and substitute Isco converted from close-range to complete a comfortable 3-0 victory which maintains Madrid’s La Liga title challenge.
The home win always looked on the cards, with Madrid creating an early chance when Karim Benzema drifted inside from the left to drill a low effort towards the bottom corner, but Elche keeper Manu Herrera got down well to save.
Angel Di Maria weaved through Elche’s defence to send a firm shot well over the bar before Jese Rodriguez fired wide and Benzema was denied by an excellent challenge from David Lomban as Los Blancos upped the pressure.
And the opening goal arrived 10 minutes before the break when Di Maria’s corner was cleared as far as Illarramendi, whose 20 yard drive took a big deflection off Manu del Moral to leave Herrera with no chance.
With the excellent Di Maria probing from midfield, Bale had a shot blocked and Benzema forced a good low save from Herrera before the interval.
Elche came more into the game without being able to create any clear chances, although Javi Marquez should have done better than blaze over after the ball was cut back to him from a corner.
At the other end, the hosts’ only threat in the opening 20 minutes of the second half came when a poor pass out from Herrera gifted possession to Jese, whose run towards goal was crudely ended by Alberto Botia’s foul. Bale had been enduring a frustrating game, but his afternoon took a dramatic turn for the better when he picked up a loose ball in midfield and sent a perfectly struck long-range strike fizzing past Herrera and into the net via the under-side of the bar.
Dani Carvajal missed a sitter before Isco added the third after running onto Benzema’s through ball and blasting home from an angle.
