Barca leave it late to beat Elche

Substitute Nico Gonzalez scored a late winner as Barcelona edged past Elche in La Liga to end their three-game winless run in all competitions.

Ferran Jutgla headed in an opener for the hosts after 16 minutes before 17-year-old Gavi grabbed his first La Liga goal with a superb solo effort.

Substitutes Tete Morente and Pere Milla then stunned the hosts as Elche scored twice in as many minutes to draw level.

But Gonzalez poked into the top corner five minutes from time to win it.

It means Xavi’s side sit seventh, three points off a Champions League spot and 15 behind leaders Real Madrid.

Barcelona had failed to win their previous three outings, with a 2-2 draw at Osasuna last Sunday following defeats by Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Real Betis in La Liga.

Jutgla saw an effort ruled out for offside inside 90 seconds but the summer signing did not have to wait long for his first goal at the Nou Camp, heading in Ousmane Dembele’s corner.

The impressive Gavi added a second three minutes later, flicking the ball through his legs on the turn and running directly at the defence before picking out the bottom corner.

But Barcelona momentarily collapsed in the second half, conceding twice in two minutes as first Morente fired into the roof of the net and then Milla headed in at the back post after the hosts gave the ball away.

It was an inspired double change from boss Francisco Rodríguez, who saw the substitutes score within five minutes of being brought on.

Elche looked to have earned a hard-fought point, only for to ball to drop to Gonzalez, who finished smartly to earn

Xavi’s young side all three points.

Elche remain 16th, two points above the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Tammy Abraham netted twice and fellow Englishman Chris Smalling was also on the scoresheet to give

Roma an impressive Serie A win at Atalanta.

Abraham bundled home after just 57 seconds and smashed in Roma’s fourth to take his tally to 12 for the season.

Smalling converted a smart finish at the back post, while midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo had put Roma 2-0 in front. Bryan

Cristante’s own goal before half-time pulled one back for Atalanta, who also had a goal disallowed for offside.

Centre-back Jose Luis Palomino thought he had equalised for the home side for 2-2 but his goal was ruled out.

Smalling scored just four minutes later and Abraham thumped in a first-time finish to move Roma up to fifth in the table.

Jose Mourinho’s side sit level on points with Juventus, who won 2-0 at Bologna thanks to goals from Alvaro Morata and Juan Cuadrado. Morata slid in the opener at a foggy Stadio Dall’Ara after six minutes before Cuadrado doubled the visitors’ lead after the break to put Juventus sixth in Serie A. – BBC Sports.