Elche’s Season: A Promising Start with Missed Opportunities

There is no doubt that Elche is having an impressive season. Recently promoted with the third-lowest salary cap in La Liga, they currently sit in a satisfactory eighth place with 24 points. However, recent results suggest that they could be performing even better. In fact, they could have nearly achieved their primary objective of survival, allowing them to aspire for greater heights—if only their matches ended at the 84th minute.

From that point onward, the team has let slip ten points, conceding goals in the dying moments of five matches. These late goals resulted in lost victories, with three of those matches ending in penalties for the opposing team. On the other hand, Elche has only managed to salvage a single adverse scoreline in the dying minutes this season. This results in a net loss of nine points in the critical closing stages of their games.

With those nine points, the franjiverdes would tally 33, putting their primary survival objective within reach and placing them in the sixth position, which grants access to European competition next season—an impressive feat.

This issue has persisted, as Eder Sarabia’s side experienced it in the last two matchdays. These setbacks occurred against teams positioned below them in the table, making them theoretical rivals for relegation. The latest match against Sevilla (2-2) was particularly painful, as Elche held a 2-0 lead until the 74th minute. Akor Adams equalized in the 90+2 minute, netting his second goal. In the previous match, Elche narrowly missed their first away victory against Valencia (1-1), with Pepelu denying them in the 87th minute.

Back in November of last year, the franjiverdes let victories slip through their fingers in two consecutive home matches. Against Real Sociedad (1-1), Oyarzabal equalized in the 89th minute via penalty, and against Real Madrid (2-2), Bellingham leveled the score in the 87th minute amidst a controversial play involving a possible foul by Vinicius on Iñaki Peña.

At the beginning of the season, Elche also failed to secure a win at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán (2-2), with Peque equalizing for Sevilla in the 85th minute. These five matches represent missed opportunities, while the lone positive was the match against Osasuna (1-1) in September last year, where Adrià Pedrosa equalized in the 90+2 minute.

With little time for regret, Elche will seek their first victory of 2026 in their next match, visiting Levante on Friday at 21:00.