ELCHE, Spain (Interstat) — In a stunning opening afternoon upset, Elche defeated Club Atlético de Madrid 3-2 in a La Liga match Wednesday at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, defying pregame projections and handing the visiting title contenders a shocking defeat to start the season.

The result, played on April 22, 2026, was orchestrated by a substitute’s brace and a resilient defensive performance from the home side. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw, with its ELO system giving Elche an 84 percent probability to win, but the actual match delivered a more dramatic and decisive outcome.

Atlético’s afternoon unraveled early when midfielder Thiago Almada was shown a straight red card in the 30th minute for a dangerous challenge, forcing his side to play a man down for the final hour. By that point, however, Elche had already seized control.

The home side struck first in the 10th minute. Substitute Nicolás González, who entered the match early due to an injury, opened the scoring with a composed finish. Atlético’s defender David Affengruber responded eight minutes later, powering in a header from a set piece to equalize at 1-1 in the 18th minute.

González restored Elche’s lead before the sending off, netting his second goal in the 34th minute to make it 2-1. Playing against 10 men, Elche extended its advantage in the 75th minute through forward André Silva, who tapped in a cross from defender Buba Sangaré to give the hosts a commanding 3-1 lead.

Atlético mounted a late push, with Silva scoring his second goal of the afternoon in the 89th minute to create a tense finale, but Elche’s defense held firm through seven minutes of stoppage time to secure the three points.

The physical match featured four yellow cards, all issued in a contentious span just before halftime. In the 36th minute, Atlético’s substitute Clément Lenglet was booked, followed by a caution for his teammate Julio Diaz two minutes later. In the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, concurrent yellow cards were shown to Elche’s Sangaré and midfielder Aleix Febas.

The victory marks a perfect start for Elche in La Liga, giving the club a 1-0 record in the competition and across all competitions this season. For a heavily favored Atlético de Madrid, the loss is a significant setback, beginning its campaign 0-1 both in league play and overall.

Key performances included González’s impactful two-goal outing off the bench and Silva’s brace for the visitors in a losing effort. Affengruber, Sangaré, Lenglet, Febas and Diaz all recorded either a goal or an assist in the chaotic, season-opening fixture.