Young Japan forward Takefusa Kubo made his debut with Getafe on Monday and helped his new club come from behind to defeat Elche 3-1 in the Spanish league.
Kubo set up a goal after coming off the bench in his first match since joining Getafe on a loan from Real Madrid. Carles Aleña, on a loan from Barcelona, also debuted for Getafe.
Elche took the lead through Raúl Guti in the fourth minute, but the visitors rallied with goals by Marc Cucurella in the 39th, Jaime Mata in the 69th, and Ángel Luis Rodríguez in the 86th.
Elche played with 10 men after midfielder Iván Marcone was sent off in the 52nd for a foul on Aleñá.
The 19-year-old Kubo, who set up Mata’s goal five minutes after entering the match, started the season playing with Villarreal but was not getting many minutes under coach Unai Emery. He played on a loan with Mallorca after being signed by Real Madrid in 2019.
Aleñá, who joined from Barcelona this month, was in the starting lineup for his debut.
It was only the second win in 12 league matches for Getafe, which moved to 13th place.
Elche, winless in 11 league matches, stayed in 18th place, just inside the relegation zone.
Last-placed Huesca later hosted Real Betis, which had one win in its last five league games. Huesca was enduring a four-game winless streak in the league.
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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Managerless Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
At the end of a week that saw the storied Premier League team fire head coach Ruben Amorim, the loss at Old Trafford has likely consigned United to another trophyless season and was greeted with loud jeers from the home crowd.
Interim coach Darren Fletcher admitted the 20-time English champion was “not in a good moment,” but said it was too soon to write the season off with Champions League qualification still achievable.
“It’s probably not what fans want to hear about Manchester United because they've been winning cups and challenging for the Premier League,” he said. “Don't waste the season. That would be the challenge that I would set. That’s the challenge that probably the players feel like they need to achieve this year.”
Former United striker Danny Welbeck scored what proved the decisive goal in the 64th minute, and Benjamin Sesko's late header was only a consolation for the hosts in the third-round match.
United has exited both domestic knockout competitions at the earliest possible stage this season, following the humbling loss to fourth-tier Grimsby in the English League Cup. The latest defeat means United will play the bare minimum of 40 competitive games for a top division team this season.
Its only chance of silverware this term is the Premier League, which would require a remarkable turnaround with United currently seventh in the standings and 17 points behind leader Arsenal with 17 games left.
A trophyless campaign would be back-to-back seasons in which United has ended up empty-handed.
The club's hierarchy hope an interim coach will be able to salvage the season by securing Champions League qualification. United has spoken to former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick about taking on the role until the summer. Fletcher, who has taken charge of the two games since Amorim's departure, is also a contender, as well as former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The loss to Brighton underlined the challenge facing the interim coach.
“Any time you come in at Manchester United, it’s a massive job,” Fletcher said. “It’s not about a manager, it’s not about directors. It’s about everyone and the players have to group together, take responsibility, find a way of improving quickly and taking on the challenge for the rest of the season.”
Brajan Gruda fired Brighton ahead in the 12th, with Welbeck doubling the advantage after the break. Sesko scored his third goal in two games in the 85th, but substitute Shea Lacey was sent off four minutes later and United could not force an equalizer to take the game to extra time.
“I gave it my best and ultimately I’m disappointed to not be able to win a game or to get a result today,” said Fletcher, who drew his other game in charge 2-2 with relegation-fighting Burnley.
Arsenal advanced earlier Sunday with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a hat trick in a 4-1 win at Portsmouth.
Martinelli's treble helped the Premier League leader come back from going a goal down to the second-tier Championship team inside three minutes.
Colby Bishop stunned Arsenal with the opening goal at Fratton Park, but the lead only lasted five minutes after Andre Dozzell scored an own-goal.
Martinelli put the visitors ahead with a flicked header in the 25th. He slid in for his second six minutes after the break and headed in his hat-trick goal in the 72nd. It was the first time the Brazilian had scored a hat trick for Arsenal.
Victory could have been even more emphatic if Noni Madueke had converted from the penalty spot in the first half.
“It’s always tough to go into these places, especially in the manner that we started the game, conceding the early goal, but we managed to turn things around so I’m very happy,” said manager Mikel Arteta.
Record 14-time FA Cup winner Arsenal last lifted the trophy in Arteta’s first season in charge in 2020. It was the last major honor the London club won, but victory against Portsmouth maintains its four-pronged trophy pursuit along with the Premier League title, the Champions League and the English League Cup.
“I think we are very privileged to be where we are, and the games that we have to play, which means that we are in every competition,” Arteta said.
Top-flight Leeds was also behind to Championship opposition, but recovered from 1-0 down to beat Derby 3-1 at Pride Park.
Third-tier Mansfield pulled off an upset to beat Championship side Sheffield United 4-3 and Norwich routed Walsall 5-1, with Jovon Makama scoring a hat trick. Norwich head coach Philippe Clement later said that U.S. international Josh Sargent refused to play in the game.
Relegation-fighting West Ham needed extra time to beat QPR 2-1. Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos’ goal saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s team end a 10-match winless run.
West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time. Hull won 4-3 against Blackburn on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scores during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Brighton's Danny Welbeck celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Manchester United and Brighton in Manchester, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Manchester United's Matheus Cunha reacts during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Manchester United and Brighton in Manchester, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scores during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke celebrate after a goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Leeds United's James Justin scores their side's third goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Derby County and Leeds United, in Derby, England, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)
Leeds United's Ao Tanaka, right, celebrates with Wilfried Gnonto after scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Derby County and Leeds United, in Derby, England, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)
Arsenal players celebrate after a goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
