Guruzeta brace and late penalty seal a 2-1 win in Athletic - Elche C. F. clash

In a tense night at San Mamés, athletic - elche c. f. ended 2-1 after Gorka Guruzeta scored a second-half double, including a controversial 89th-minute penalty that settled the match. The result handed the home side a third successive league victory and left the visitors still searching for a win.

Athletic - Elche C. F.: Guruzeta’s double and the decisive penalty

Gorka Guruzeta struck twice in the second half to secure the three points. His first goal arrived from a composed finish after a low cross, and the second came from the penalty spot at 89 minutes following an on-field review. The penalty decision drew protest from the visitors and added late drama to an already intense contest.

Between Guruzeta’s goals, André Silva converted a penalty for Elche after being required to retake the spot kick because of a double touch on his initial attempt. That retaken penalty restored parity and kept the match finely balanced until Guruzeta’s late intervention.

Match moments and tensions that shaped the result

The fixture featured several periods of high drama. The referee consulted the monitor for a review involving defensive actions that ultimately led to the decisive spot kick. The visiting goalkeeper produced multiple important saves through the evening, preventing a wider margin before the final whistle.

Tensions spilled over at the end of the game, with visible protest from the visiting coach and a heated exchange with the home side’s manager that was later defused. The contest included notable defensive and attacking sequences, and both sides had clear moments that could have changed the final scoreline.

Implications for both teams and what comes next

The result extended the home side’s winning streak to three league matches, marking the first time they have strung together that number of wins since earlier in the season. The visitors, meanwhile, remain without a victory in eight matches and sit perilously close to the relegation zone, occupying 16th place and only a single point clear of danger.

For the home team, the repeat of a multi-goal performance by Guruzeta — his second brace in three matches after an earlier two-goal game that produced a 4-2 win — provides momentum and confidence as they seek to build on this run. For the visitors, the match underscored persistent difficulties in securing positive results on the road and heightened the urgency to halt their slide.

Recent developments in the match highlight how small moments — a retaken penalty, a VAR review, late-game disciplinary decisions — can alter outcomes and league trajectories. The athletic - elche c. f. encounter will be remembered for its late-turning point and the individual impact of a striker who has now produced multiple decisive performances in quick succession.

Details around next fixtures and tactical adjustments remain subject to each club’s immediate planning. The match leaves both teams with clear immediate priorities: the home side to consolidate their run of form, and the visitors to address the issues that have extended their winless run.