Elche vs Kaizer Chiefs

Martín Anselmi, taking charge of his first pre-season friendly since replacing Eder Sarabia as Elche head coach, fielded a strong starting XI including new signings Víctor Chust and Gonzalo Villar. The home side controlled possession from the opening exchanges, with Diang lively on the left flank.

The breakthrough came in the 24th minute. Ali Houary — back at Elche after a loan spell — drove towards the box and placed a precise finish into the far corner, giving Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen no chance.

Elche doubled their lead just before half-time. A Villar corner found its way to Chust, and Umaru Konare was on hand to convert from close range after Chiefs left their back post unguarded. The goal came in the 45th minute, moments after Elche goalkeeper Dituro was forced off following a collision, replaced by Iturbe.

Kaizer Chiefs improved after the interval, with Fernando Da Cruz introducing a raft of changes for both sides. Asanele Velebayi — who now has two goals and an assist across pre-season — found the net in the 59th minute, capitalising on a defensive lapse from Chetauya to reduce the deficit.

The match briefly turned testy after the goal, with a melee breaking out that the referee defused before a second cooling break.

With nine minutes remaining, Siphesihle Ndlovu fouled Nordin Al Lal inside the box, handing Elche a penalty to restore their two-goal cushion. Al Lal stepped up himself but saw his spot-kick saved — a miss that kept the contest alive until the final whistle. Chiefs could not fashion a clear equaliser, and Elche held on.

Ali Houary (Elche) — The midfielder marked his return from loan with a well-taken opener and was a driving force in the first half. His movement between the lines caused Chiefs persistent problems.

Umaru Konare (Elche) — The forward scored the decisive second goal with a poacher's finish from a corner and led the line energetically before being substituted at half-time alongside the entire starting XI.

Asanele Velebayi (Kaizer Chiefs) — Chiefs' most dangerous attacking outlet. His goal — a composed finish after a defensive error — made it two goals in pre-season for the winger, who has been one of the brighter performers in Da Cruz's Spanish tour.

Player of the match: Ali Houary — his goal and all-round performance set the tone for Elche's first-half dominance.

The 2-0 half-time scoreline reflected Elche's control in the opening 45 minutes, with the Spanish side dictating possession and creating the better chances from open play and set pieces. Chiefs' second-half improvement narrowed the gap territorially, but they managed only one shot on target — Velebayi's goal — across the 90 minutes. Elche's missed penalty (the only other major second-half chance) kept the xG differential closer than the first-half performance warranted.

For Elche, this was a functional start to pre-season under Anselmi. The side that finished 15th in LaLiga last season is in transition after losing attacking trio André Silva, Rafa Mir and Álvaro Rodríguez — the latter joining Bournemouth for €25m. New arrivals Chust and Villar both featured, and the returning Houary made an immediate impression.

For Kaizer Chiefs, the match ended a three-game Spanish tour that brought two 1-1 draws (against Rangers and Al Kholood) and this defeat. Da Cruz's squad now return to South Africa to face Zimbabwean champions Scottland FC in the Toyota Cup on 26 July, before opening their PSL campaign away at Kruger United on 1 August. Chiefs finished third in the Premier Soccer League last season, 15 points behind champions Orlando Pirates, and have qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup.

A predictable pre-season pattern: Elche's greater rhythm and sharper finishing in the first half decided the game before wholesale changes disrupted the flow. The positives for Chiefs lie in Velebayi's continued form and another 90 minutes of fitness work; the negatives are familiar defensive lapses from set pieces. Da Cruz still has work to do before the PSL kicks off in August.