Aspir's last-gasp strike wins it for Real in the 91st minute.

There is a saying, "The master delivers the decisive blow at the very end." This holds remarkably true for Carlos Espi. However, it is not the dead of night, but the dying moments of a match—and the "blow" is a goal. Scoring late winners for Real Madrid is fast becoming the Spanish forward's trademark.

The 21-year-old Espi joined Real Madrid last July, setting a record as the most expensive player sold in Levante's history. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, the forward was viewed primarily as Coach Jose Mourinho's "Plan B." His role seemed to be coming off the bench in the final moments when the starting lineup failed to find the net.

And so far, the young forward has been quite successful in that role.

Changed the match result in just four minutes

Evidence of this was seen again last night during the La Liga match at Elche's home ground. Real Madrid took a 2-0 lead within just 33 minutes, thanks to a goal from Kylian Mbappé and an own goal by Elche.

However, the situation shifted late in the game. Elche clawed their way back to level the score with goals in the 71st and 83rd minutes, leaving Real Madrid at risk of dropping points despite having held the lead.

Sensing the danger, Mourinho brought Espi onto the pitch in the 87th minute, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold. The desired result arrived just four minutes later; connecting with a pass from Mbappé, Espi scored in stoppage time (90+1 minute) to secure a 3-2 victory for Real Madrid.

Hero in the final moments on his debut, too

Scoring a winning goal as a late substitute is nothing new for Espi. The forward also scored the winner in Mourinho's first match back as Real Madrid coach—a game against Espanyol.

On that occasion, too, he scored in the 90th minute. Even more interestingly, that was Espi's debut match in a Real Madrid jersey.

According to Opta data, Espi is now the first player this La Liga season to score two winning goals in the 90th minute or stoppage time. A rare feat in La Liga history

Espi has carved out a special place for himself, not just in the current season but in the history of La Liga. He is the second player to score a winning goal in the 90th minute or later across the team's first six matches of the season.

Villarreal's attacking midfielder Ayoze Pérez had previously achieved this feat.

Mourinho pleased with Espi, but concerned about other issues

Since Elche is a relatively weaker side in La Liga, Mourinho did not want to settle for a draw despite leading 2-0. Consequently, he tweaked his tactics to field Espi alongside Mbappé and took several risks towards the end of the match.

Speaking about Espi's performance after the game, Mourinho said, "He took to the pitch with great enthusiasm. However, he was up against an opponent who was no ordinary player. Fielding the two of them together isn't easy."

Explaining the risks taken late in the game, the Real Madrid coach said, "A draw wasn't enough for us."

Espi has not yet secured a regular spot in the starting XI. However, his consistent performances in the closing stages are creating a new option for the coach.

Real's major concern, however, lies elsewhere

Although Espi's goal secured the win for Real, Mourinho was preoccupied with other matters after the match. He was troubled by how the team conceded two goals despite holding a 2-0 lead.

The Real Madrid coach remarked, "In some matches, it feels as though the result is already decided. Yet, we fail to take full control and build a commanding lead. By not finishing the job properly, even easy matches slip out of our control."

Nevertheless, this victory preserved Mourinho's unbeaten record in La Liga against teams threatened by relegation.

Real Madrid sits in second place with 15 points from five wins in six matches. Barcelona leads with the same 15 points, though Hansi Flick's team has played one match fewer and holds a superior goal difference.