Elche 1-3 Barcelona: Yamal, Ferran & Rashford score to seal 3 points at ease

Marcus Rashford was on target once again as Barcelona moved four points clear at the top of the La Liga table with a win at Elche.

Match Report

The reigning champions took a sixth-minute lead when Dani Olmo threaded through Lamine Yamal and the 18-year-old rounded Elche goalkeeper Inaki Pena before passing into an empty net.

Elche, who last defeated Barcelona in December 1974, equalised through Alvaro Rodriguez, who beat the visitors' high line and calmly found the far corner after 29 minutes.

But Hansi Flick's side restored their lead 11 minutes later when Ferran Torres blasted Frenkie De Jong's cut-back into the roof of the net.

Manchester United loanee Rashford came off the bench at half-time and added a third with a tap-in following a low pass across goal from Yamal.

It was Rashford's 10th goal of the season and his second in as many games after he netted against Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Barcelona were the better side throughout and created a hatful of chances.

Dani Olmo hit the woodwork in the early stages and, with the scoreline at 1-1, Torres struck the crossbar first with his boot and then with his head on the rebound.

Just before the break, Torres rounded the goalkeeper but his shot was cleared off the line by Elche defender Victor Chust.

The victory was Barcelona's 15th win in 16 games in all competitions.

It puts pressure on second-placed Real Madrid, who have played one game fewer and could cut the Catalans' lead at the top of the table back to one point when they face local rivals Rayo Vallecano at home on Sunday (13:00 GMT).

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

2' Olmo plays a teasing ball across the box to Yamal who sends the ball wide

6' GOAL! Yamal rounds Inaki Pena to slot into an empty net! Elche 0-1 Barcelona

15' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona

18' Ferran is the latest to drill a shot wide as Barcelona look to increase lead

24' Rodriguez slips as he tries to get a shot away in the box

28' Raphinha finds Yamal who lays it off from Olmo and he hits the crossbar

29' GOAL! Rodriguez slots into net to level the game! Elche 1-1 Barcelona

34' Ferran should fire home from close range but hits the crossbar

36' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona

40' GOAL! Torres fires high into roof of net from close range! Elche 1-2 Barcelona

42' Fermin Lopez fires over the bar

44' Another shot over the bar from Fermin Lopez

46' Barcelona make a change at the break as Rashford comes on for Raphinha

47' Match Event for Elche vs Barcelona

48' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona

51' Alvaro Rodriguez fires a shot just wide of the post

68' Rashford tries to curl a shot into the bottom corner but it goes wide instead

72' GOAL! Rashford fires home from close range! Elche 1-3 Barcelona

80' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona

82' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona

Line-ups

Elche XI: Andre Silva, Pena, Grady Diangana, Pedrosa, Víctor Chust, Marc Aguado, Germán Valera, David Affengruber, John Donald, Álvaro Rodríguez, Rodrigo Mendoza

Subs: Matías Dituro, Léo Pétrot, Martim Neto, Alejandro Iturbe, Lucas Cepeda, Yago Santiago, Federico Redondo, Adam Boayar, Nico Salvador, Álex Sánchez, David Delgado, Alex Herráiz Moll

Barcelona XI: Olmo, De Jong, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Kounde, Eric Garcia, Joan García, Balde, Fermín López, Yamal, Cubarsi

Subs: Szczesny, Lewandowski, Cancelo, Rashford, Araujo, Casado, Roony Bardghji, Gerard Martín, Diego Kochen, Bernal