Athletic - Elche C. F.: Guruzeta brace, late penalty and the momentum shift that reshapes both teams

Who feels the change first? For Athletic, the immediate reward is momentum: a third straight league win and renewed forward thrust. For Elche, the same result deepens a run of eight matches without a victory and keeps them perilously close to the drop zone. The match that produced that swing featured a late, contentious penalty and a double from Gorka Guruzeta — facts that matter far beyond one final scoreline in the table. The game is being felt most acutely by players on both ends and by fans watching a season tilt toward different narratives.

Athletic - Elche C. F.: momentum for the home side and mounting pressure for the visitors

This result hands Athletic a tangible lift: three league wins in a row, the club’s first such run since August, and a striking offensive form carried in large part by Guruzeta. His second brace in a short span reinforces that the forward has become a recurring match‑decider. For Elche, the defeat extends an already worrying streak — eight games without a win — and leaves them sitting 16th, just one point clear of the relegation zone. That narrow margin frames the loss as more than a single setback; it’s a realignment of urgency for the visitors.

Here's the part that matters for both squads: Athletic’s confidence boost could translate into bolder attacking choices and persistence in tight matches, while Elche must confront both finishing and defensive moments that have cost points. A clear signal this tilt is lasting would be Athletic stringing another win on top of this one; Elche’s situation will only visibly improve when they end the winless run.

What’s easy to miss is how individual sequences compound these trends: a single controversial call or a converted penalty can turn a match into a momentum engine for one side and a crisis point for the other.

Match snapshot: decisive actions and how the score unfolded

The scoring sequence condensed the game’s tone. Guruzeta opened the night with a composed finish from a low cross delivered by a teammate, giving Athletic the lead. Elche responded when André Silva converted a penalty after his first attempt was ordered to be retaken because of a double touch; that successful second kick leveled the score. In the closing moments, a controversial penalty was awarded following a VAR review of a collision involving a defender; Guruzeta stepped up and scored from the spot at the 89th minute to complete his double and settle the game 2-1.

• Guruzeta: two goals in the second half, including the 89th‑minute penalty that decided the match.
• André Silva: scored a penalty for Elche after a retake was required due to a double touch.
• Standings impact: Elche remains 16th and on an eight‑match winless run; Athletic notched a third consecutive league victory, their first such streak since August.

The match also featured key goalkeeping interventions and tension around the refereeing review that produced the decisive spot kick. The late nature of the winner amplified the emotional contrast: elation and renewed hopes on one bench, frustration and rising concern on the other.

For a quick timeline: Guruzeta put Athletic ahead with a well‑taken goal; André Silva equalized from the spot after a retake; an 89th‑minute penalty gave Guruzeta the winner. The rhythm of those moments condensed the contest into a late swing that carried outsized consequences for both clubs.

Looking forward, the immediate questions are operational rather than theoretical: can Athletic convert this burst of form into consistent results, and how will Elche respond to break their extended drought? The real test will be how each side addresses finishing and disciplinary moments in the matches that follow.

Small aside: while the headlines will fix on the late penalty and the goalscorer, the underlying pattern to watch is repetition — whether Guruzeta’s scoring returns and Elche’s inability to win continue over several fixtures, which will tell us if this match was a turning point or just another dramatic episode.