Deportivo Alavés produced a clinical second-half display at Estadio Mendizorrotza, overpowering Elche 3-1 in a dramatic finish to their La Liga clash on Sunday afternoon. The result lifts Alavés back into the middle of the pack, while denting Elche’s aspirations after a closely contested opening hour.

After a cagey first half, marked by disciplined midfields and few clear chances, both sides entered the break deadlocked at 0-0. Eduardo Coudet’s Alavés, lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, gradually asserted themselves as the match wore on, exploiting spaces behind Elche’s three-man back line.

The breakthrough came in the 76th minute when substitute Carlos Vicente calmly dispatched a penalty, awarded after a clumsy challenge inside the box. The Mendizorrotza crowd erupted as Vicente’s strike broke the stalemate, setting the tone for a frantic finish.

Just three minutes later, Elche suffered a major setback when center-back David Affengruber was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul, reducing the visitors to ten men and opening the game for Alavés. Sensing the opportunity, Coudet’s men pressed forward, and in the 81st minute Toni Martínez doubled their lead with a sharp finish after a slick assist from Carles Aleñá — whose creativity was pivotal in the second half.

Elche, running short on options, threw men forward in an attempt to salvage something, and were rewarded in stoppage time. André Silva, capitalizing on a clever feed from Germán Valera, pulled a goal back in the 90+3' to inject some late drama. But Alavés responded immediately, with Lucas Boyé sealing the result just two minutes later, again benefitting from Aleñá’s incisive passing to cap a sweeping counterattack.

The match’s physical edge was underscored by four yellow cards — Jon Pacheco and Antonio Blanco for Alavés, Grady Diangana for Elche, and Jonny Otto in the dying moments. Elche’s midfield struggled to retain control in the final stages, hindered by Affengruber’s dismissal and forced substitutions as Sarabia Armesto looked to shore up his side.

For Alavés, the result marks a vital rebound and showcases their attacking depth, with Martínez and Boyé leading the line and Aleñá pulling the strings. The home fans will point to the squad’s resilience and patience — qualities that kept them searching for the decisive moment until late in the contest.

Elche, meanwhile, must regroup after tasting defeat for the first time in weeks. With their defensive discipline tested, Sarabia Armesto will rue both the timing of Affengruber’s red card and his side’s inability to match Alavés’ late intensity.

This was no routine victory: Alavés flexed their late-game muscle and made Estadio Mendizorrotza dance long after the final whistle.