Real get out of Elche jail

A dubious injury time Cristiano Ronaldo penalty was enough to move Real Madrid back to within two points of league leaders Barcelona with a 2-1 win away to Elche. However, the hosts were left furious with referee Cesar Muniz Fernandez as after failing to show Sergio Ramos a second yellow card for a clear bodycheck on Coro in the first-half, he pointed to the spot in the fourth minute of added time when Pepe fell to the ground under pressure from Carlos Sanchez.

Ronaldo had put the visitors ahead from a free-kick early in the second-half, but Richmond Boakye thought he had rescued a point when he headed home in the 91st minute before the late drama.
And Real boss Carlo Ancelotti admitted that he was far from satisfied with a lacklustre display from his side. ‘I am not happy, we need to play differently,’ he told a press conference.

‘We didn’t control the game in the second-half after Ronaldo’s goal and it is obvious that I am not happy with the game. The result doesn’t suffice, we need to play better. ‘They played well. they were compact and they deserved to equalise because they finished the game very well.’

Ancelotti though is well aware that Real will need to up their game substantially if they are to emerge victorious from the Madrid derby with joint leaders Atletico on Saturday. ‘Obviously playing like this we are not going to win the derby. We need to play with more intensity and personality.’
In the night’s earlier matches, Sevilla moved off the bottom of the table as they beat Rayo Vallecano 4-1 to secure their first victory of the season.

Ivan Rakitic and Carlos Bacca each scored twice for the hosts with Adrian Gonzalez netting for Rayo, who also had Alejandro Galvez and Jonathan Viera sent off. And Valencia’s mini revival continued as Jonas Goncalves struck with virtually the last kick of the game to hand them a crucial 1-0 win at Granada and move Miroslav Djukic’s men up to seventh spot.