In the 21st round of La Liga, the captivating match between Levante and Elche concluded with a score of 3-2 in favor of the home team. This showdown was intensely competitive, showcasing the effort from both squads, who leveled the game with goals from Pablo Martínez (4’ 2T) and Adrián de la Fuente (22’ 2T) for Levante, while Alvaro Rodriguez (10’ 1T) and Adam Boayar (47’ 2T) found the back of the net for Elche. As the game neared its end, it appeared destined for a draw until Alan Matturro scored a dramatic header at the 50th minute of the second half, sealing the win for Luís Castro’s men.
Adrián de la Fuente stood out as the man of the match, contributing significantly with one goal and making two vital clearances to prevent danger in his area.
Another key player for Levante was Pablo Martínez, who not only scored but also completed 27 accurate passes and took two shots on goal against Elche.
Coach Luís Castro set up his team in a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Mathew Ryan as the goalkeeper; a defensive line of Jeremy Toljan, Adrián de la Fuente, Alan Matturro, and Manu Sánchez; a midfield consisting of Ugo Raghouber, Pablo Martínez, Iker Losada, Carlos Álvarez, and Iván Romero; with Etta Eyong leading the attack.
On the other hand, Eder Sarabia’s side deployed a 5-4-1 strategy, with Iñaki Peña guarding the net; defenders included Yago Alonso, Adriá Pedrosa, David Affengruber, Léo Pétrot, and Germán Valera; the midfield featured Grady Diangana, Marc Aguado, Aleix Febas, and Martim Neto; with Alvaro Rodriguez positioned upfront.
The match at Estadio Ciutat de València was officiated by referee José Munuera Montero.
In their upcoming fixture, Levante will host Villarreal, while Elche will have a challenging encounter against FC Barcelona. Currently, Levante occupies the 19th position with 17 points, while Elche is in 8th place with 24 points in the league standings.
Substitutions for Levante
45’ 2T – Iker Losada out for Paco Cortés
73’ 2T – Etta Eyong out for Carlos Espí and Carlos Álvarez out for Jon Olasagasti
Yellow Cards for Levante:
37’ 1T Carlos Álvarez (Unsporting behavior) and 39’ 2T Iván Romero (Repeated fouls)
Substitutions for Elche
61’ 2T – Martim Neto out for Josán Fernández
69’ 2T – Yago Alonso out for Adam Boayar and Alvaro Rodriguez out for André Silva
70’ 2T – Grady Diangana out for Rodrigo Mendoza
84’ 2T – Marc Aguado out for Alejandro Sánchez
Yellow Cards for Elche:
10’ 2T Léo Pétrot (Unsporting behavior), 21’ 2T Aleix Febas (Unsporting behavior), and 26’ 2T André Silva (Unsporting behavior)