Elche cause an upset in the San Mamés

Elche CF beat Athletic Club 1-2 on Liga BBVA matchday 18. The result means that Fran Escribá's men earn three points that are crucial for their quest for safety, while the Rojiblancos have now played five matches without a win.

The visitors stamped their authority after 17 minutes by taking the lead through Víctor Rodríguez. It was a hammer blow that left the Basque side shell-shocked and they were unable to produce much that might turn things around. Elche held on to their lead and dug deep to defend the result, although Aritz Aduriz was on the brink of equalising before his shot whistled past the past just before half time.

It was a similar story in the second half. Fran Escribá's men, well aware of what was at stake, pressured the home team and Fayçal Fajr found a second soon after the restart. It looked like the match was over, but Athletic rallied and Mikel San José cut the deficit in the San Mamés with a superb strike. The Rojiblancos had their visitors blocked in for the dying minutes, but in the end Elche held on and sealed a hard-fought victory that leaves them just a few points away from safety.