Racing 3-2 Elche: Zabiri hat-trick seals dramatic home victory in La Liga 2 thriller (full match highlights)

On August 28, 2026, at the Campos de Sport de El Sardinero in Santander, Racing Santander secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Elche in their La Liga 2 Round 3 fixture, played in front of a sell-out crowd of 22,496 spectators — an incredible 101% capacity. The match was defined by a first-half hat-trick from Yassir Zabiri, who became the first Racing player in five seasons to score three goals in a single game. Zabiri opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box that took a slight deflection off a defender's leg and nestled into the bottom corner, leaving the Elche goalkeeper rooted to the spot. Just six minutes later, he doubled the lead, finishing from the right flank after a swift counter-attack initiated by Iñigo Vicente. The Moroccan midfielder completed his hat-trick in the 36th minute, scoring from close range after a patient assist from Vicente, who waited for the perfect moment to deliver the pass into the empty corner of the net. The second half became more tense, and Elche mounted a late fightback: Bouba Sangaré scored in the 78th minute after a pass from Lucas Cepe da, and just a minute later, Fer Niño made it 3-2 with a header from Tete Morente's cross, setting up a nervy finish that had the home fans on the edge of their seats. Racing held on through desperate defending and some crucial interventions from their backline, including a goal-line clearance in the 84th minute and a stunning save from their goalkeeper in the 86th minute. Yellow cards were shown to Facundo González (43'), Álvaro Mantilla (45'), and Facundo Buonanotte (55'). In the 71st minute, Zabiri was substituted to a standing ovation, replaced by Iñigo Sainz-Maza, and the fans continued to chant his name for several minutes after he left the pitch. Match statistics: Racing had 51% possession, registered 13 shots to Elche's 10, completed 78% of their passes against 74%, and also won the corner count 6-4 and the foul count 14-11. This victory lifted Racing to 5th place with 6 points, while Elche dropped to 12th with 3 points. Racing's manager praised his team's character and resilience under pressure, highlighting Zabiri's hat-trick as the highlight of the evening. He also stressed the importance of maintaining concentration until the final whistle, especially against dangerous opponents like Elche, who are known for their late comebacks. For Zabiri, this hat-trick was the first of his career and will undoubtedly be remembered by Racing fans for a long time.