Late Elche goal deny Almeria the full points 2-2

Almeria 2 Elche 2

Almeria took the lead through Victor Rodriguez before Jose Antonio Verza made things level at the break.

Jonathas put the visitors back in front 10 minutes after the interval before he saw red for a second bookable offence and Tomer Hemed rescued a point for Francisco Rodriguez's men late on.

The result moves Elche up three places into 16th, while Almeria moved into eighth with nine points from their opening seven matches.

The away side started well and got on the scoresheet after just six minutes with the first real chance of the game as Rodriguez headed home from Jonathas' cross in the centre of the box to hand his side the lead.

Elche continued to press and Damian Suarez tested Ruben with a long-range drilled shot, but the home goalkeeper held his effort out.

Edgar Mendez had a chance to bring Almeria back on level terms but his shot from just outside the 18-yard box sailed round the post.

Moments later Jonathas had the opportunity to double his side's tally but his thunderbolt from 35 yards out powered over the bar and into the stands.

The home side looked likely to pull a goal back with a series of Verza corners midway through the first half with Fernando Soriano unfortunate not to score with his close-range header on the end of one of them.

However, their pressure paid off with less than 10 minutes of the half to go as Edu Albacar conceded a penalty which Verza did well to convert to level the score at the break.

The second half started at a slower pace but Edgar had a chance to hand the home side the lead, forcing visiting keeper Manu Herrera to tip his effort around the post.

But it was the visitors that went ahead for the second time in the match as Pedro Mosquera set up Jonathas and he made no mistake with his well-placed volley landing in the top left of the Elche goal.

Deep into the second period, Jonathas received his marching orders after he was shown his second yellow card, this one for handball to leave his side with 10 men and fighting to hold onto their narrow lead.

The home side began to press for an equaliser as Wellington Silva and Jonathan Zongo came close before Verza's corner found the head of second-half substitute Hemed, who clinched a point with five minutes remaining.

Real Madrid asserts superiority over Elche 5-1

La Liga Wrap: Ronaldo runs rampant for Real

Cristiano Ronaldo produced yet another masterclass to steer Real Madrid to a come-from-behind win, while Celta Vigo survived late drama.

Ronaldo scored four goals as Real routed Elche 5-1 at The Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, with Gareth Bale also on target for the hosts.

Having scored a hat-trick in the 8-2 mauling of Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, the Portuguese was again in imperious form, though Ronaldo's night had hardly begun as he would have wished - he was at fault for the 15th-minute penalty that gave Elche a shock lead through Edu Albacar.

The Portugal international was punished for making contact with Pedro Mosquera when clearing a corner and Albacar lashed the spot-kick into the top corner, giving Keylor Navas no chance despite the goalkeeper diving the right way.

But a wounded Madrid - and Ronaldo in particular - rallied, with three quick goals of their own through Bale and a double from the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner to lead at the break.

James Rodriguez created the first after 20 minutes with a pin-point cross from the left that Bale met with a glancing header, although Manu Herrera should have done better in the Elche goal as the ball slipped under his grasp.

Real went ahead for the first time eight minutes later when they were awarded a penalty of their own - Mosquera adjudged to have brought down Marcelo.

Ronaldo's emphatic spot-kick gave Herrera no chance and four minutes later the forward scored again with a perfectly placed header.

His third came with 10 minutes remaining before the fourth - a typically cool finish from Bale's pass - arrived in injury time, as Elche simply had no response.

Meanwhile, Sergio Alvarez was the hero as Celta Vigo prevailed 2-1 at home to Deportivo.

Alvarez denied Haris Medunjanin from the spot, saving an 88th-minute penalty after Gustavo Cabral was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the area.

The win preserved Celta's unbeaten start to the season, with the club level on nine points alongside Real.

Earlier, Nolito had given Celta a third-minute lead with a low strike into the bottom corner - his second goal in as many games.

Cuenca levelled proceedings for Deportivo 10 minutes into the second half, only for Joaquin Larrivey to restore Celta's lead 18 minutes from time.

Barcelona sends notice to La Liga rivals with a 3-0 demolition of Elche

FC Barcelona

Luis Enrique wins on league debut, as Barça play second half with ten men. Mascherano red on 44 minutes followed Messi opener. Munir and Messi added the second and third after the break 

Luis Enrique’s Barça got their league campaign off to a great start at the Camp Nou this evening, brushing aside Elche 3-0, despite playing the second half with ten men, after Mascherano was shown red just before the break. With Neymar injured, Luis Enrique handed Munir the chance to start and the youngster repaid the boss’ faith with a good all round performance – including a shot against the woodwork- and Barça’s second goal, sandwiched between two typically brilliant Messi efforts.

It was clear from the start that Elche had come to defend and Barça took the game to them from the off, with Messi in particular looking sharp. Munir hit the post after a lovely turn on 22 minutes and Iniesta also rattled the bar with a shot 10 minutes later. Just as it looked as if Barça would be frustrated in their opening half of league action, Leo Messi popped up on 43 minutes, drifting past three or four defenders and firing low to the keeper’s left to open the scoring. Almost from the kick off, Elche tried to hit Barça on the break and as Gonzales broke behind the home defence, Mascherano collided with him and the ref judging him the last man, showed the Argentinean red.

With Bartra on for Rafinha after the break, Barça hit Elche almost immediately , when Rakitic chipped the Elche defence and Munir made no mistake to open his La Liga account. Elche had to open their lines a bit now, but that just gave Barça more space and Messi took advantage on 63 minutes, dancing through the defence to round off an excellent performance and ensure the opening three points of the campaign.