Jude Bellingham scored one and assisted another as Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga despite being held to a draw by Elche.<\/p>\n
The England midfielder fired Kylian Mbappe’s cut-back into the net with three minutes remaining to rescue a point for Xabi Alonso’s side, who had trailed twice at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.<\/p>\n
Aleix Febas had given mid-table Elche the lead eight minutes into the second half, poking his shot past Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and in off the right-hand post.<\/p>\n
Former Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen prodded home Bellingham’s knockdown to restore parity 12 minutes from time, only for Alvaro Rodriguez to put the home side back in front with a low shot from the edge of the box.<\/p>\n
But Madrid – and Bellingham – had the final say with the 22-year-old’s third goal in his last four La Liga appearances.<\/p>\n
Elche were reduced to 10 men in the seventh minute of added time when defender Victor Chust was sent off, picking up a second yellow card for a foul on Mbappe.<\/p>\n
The point lifted Alonso’s team back above Barcelona, who beat Athletic Club 4-0 on Saturday in their first game back at Spotify Camp Nou, while Elche are in 11th place.<\/p>\n
Mbappe had Madrid’s best opportunities in an entertaining first half, shooting straight at goalkeeper Inaki Pena from a tight angle after breaking clear of the home defence.<\/p>\n
Former Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold – operating in a right wing-back role – almost set up the French striker, not long after his first chance, but Mbappe could only steer his first-time effort at Pena.<\/p>\n
Elche had their opportunities too, with Rafa Mir firing straight at Courtois from close range and Andre da Silva having a low drive blocked by the Belgium international before the interval.<\/p>\n
The contest continued to ebb and flow after half-time as Rodrygo’s powerful effort was palmed over the bar by Pena, before Courtois pulled off another fine stop to deny Febas.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old midfielder’s opener was cancelled out by Huijsen, but Rodriguez’s 84th-minute strike put Elche within touching distance of their first win over Madrid since March 1978.<\/p>\n
However, they were denied all three points by Bellingham, who had also scored in victories over Barcelona and Valencia before the international break.<\/p>\n