Own goal by debutant Nico Fernandez at 9 minutes opened the scoring, followed by an unnecessary penalty converted by Nico Williams at 13 minutes. A defensive lapse on the left allowed Williams to strike again at 22 minutes, and shortly before halftime Berenguer rounded out the scoring with a fourth goal as the visitors overwhelmed Elche in the 43rd minute.
Francisco covered his face in disbelief, unable to explain what happened. The Elche defense looked exposed in the first half, with Athletic Club Bilbao playing a fast, vertical game that created numerous chances. Fortunately, Munian prevented a further tally after another mistake on the left, with Berenguer annoyingly offside on another buildup.
The first 45 minutes were disastrous for Elche, and the rojiblancos exploited the fragility that should not exist in a top-flight side, setting the tone for a difficult evening at the Martínez Valero stadium.
Whistles from the stands grew loud as fans cried for relief, shouting phrases that reflected frustration with Elche’s unpredictable season ahead. The mood suggested looming clouds over the club7s prospects for the campaign.
In the second half, Francisco’s team showed more pride; intensity rose and play improved. Yet Ponce managed to score for 1-4 in the 58th minute, offering a brief glimmer of consolation amid the heavy defeat.
The Almeria coach unveiled several alterations to address the drift: five changes from the previous match against Villarreal included moving Pol Lirola to the right flank, bringing Nico Fernandez in on the left for Clerc, shuffling the midfield with Gumbau and Raul Guti, using Quinine Markets starting as a midfielder for Eze Ponce, and inserting Pere Milla on the left wing for Tete Morente. The Frangiverde manager aimed to recover control of central areas and push Boyé higher while keeping Collado on the right flank.
Despite a well-intended plan, defensive mistakes nullified the effort. The scoreboard still read 0-0 roughly twenty minutes into the second period when the issues resurfaced and Elche found itself chasing the game again.
At 37 minutes, Francisco made the first substitution, removing a missing player and pairing Mascarell with Eze Ponce to tighten each flank. The 0-4 scoreline, reached just before the break, underscored Elche7s inability to manage the rhythm and the physical challenge posed by Athletic Club. It felt like a broken toy in the visitors7 hands, leaving little to justify the catastrophe.
Reports from the dressing room spoke of a bland improvement, yet the second half did not fully alter the balance of power. Francisco attempted two more changes, slotting youth squad member John into the midfield and bringing Fidel back from injury while moving Collado forward and widening Pere Milla to the left. Elche did gain some momentum, tightening up defensively and pressing higher up the pitch, but the impact remained limited.
Elche gradually found some footing, with a rare foray forward resulting from a baseline cross leading to Lirola7s final touch and a sharp save by Badia. Athletic responded with a late push, striking the crossbar through Berenguer and seeing Muniain denied on the rebound by a spectacular save from Badia. Nico Williams had faded in the first half but reappeared on the left flank as the game progressed, showing glimpses of the quality he can bring to the attack.
The more intense spell forced Boyé to disrupt a buildup, and a counterattack nearly produced a late goal when Franchiverde released the ball to Ponce for a potential finish at the far post. The chance highlighted both teams7s willingness to attack, even as the result remained firmly in Bilbao7s favor.
The Elche fans could sense a fragile hope that a miracle might still appear with thirty minutes left, but the dream dissipated. Athletic remained compact at the back, resisting the wind and maintaining a solid advantage at the scoreboard. A late change of tempo by Zárraga, followed by Fidel testing the defense once more, kept the visitors attentive, but the gains were small. Elche could not sustain pressure long enough to turn the tide.
As the match drew to a close, there was a brief note of improvement in Elche7s performance. It was clear that the home side needed a deeper reflection and a conscience check about the defensive discipline that has haunted their campaign. Conceding twelve goals in five matches is untenable for a club aiming to avoid relegation. The next test loomed large: a trip to Camp Nou against Barcelona would demand a rapid reset if Elche hopes to arrest their slide and reaffirm their status in the top flight.
DATA SHEET
ELCHE: Badia; Lirola, Roco, Bigas, Nico Fernandez; Gumbau, Quina, Mascarell, Collado, Pere Milla, Lucas Boyé.
BILBAO ATHLETIC CLUB: Unai Simon; De Marcos, Vivian, Inigo Martinez, Lekue; Sancet, Dani Garcia; Nico Williams, Muniain, Berenguer, Iki Williams.
JUDGE: Melero Lopez. For Elche, Mascarell received a yellow card and Roco and Bigas were cautioned.
GOALS: 0-1 Nico Fernandez (own goal, 9); 0-2 Sancet (penalty, 13); 0-3 Nico Williams (22); 0-4 Berenguer (44); 1-4 Ponce (58).
STADIUM: Martínez Valero, 24,176 spectators.