Real Madrid Held to 1-1 Draw by Rayo Vallecano Despite Joselu’s Goal Heroics
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid: An Overview
Real Madrid came into the fixture knowing they had a great chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points by the time Girona played Athletic Bilbao on Monday. Having crushed the Barcelona outfit 4-0 in their encounter on 10 February, Los Blancos had firmly taken control of the title initiative and were the favorites to prevail at the Estadio de Vallecas on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano were down in 15th place after winning just five of their 24 games before this match and sitting only seven points clear of relegation zone. The Red Sashes had even lost their last three top-flight matches and been stuck in a rut.
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid: Match Report and Analysis
It all began rather nervously for Real Madrid, as Andriy Lunin’s pass from the goal was intercepted by Rayo Vallecano. But the visitors recovered in time to smother their attempt and clear the danger away. Just seconds later, Joselu scored at the other end to put them 1-0 up. Following a terrific run on the right by Federico Valverde, the Uruguayan squared the ball across the field for Joselu, who then coolly slotted it home beyond Stole Dimitrievski.
Buoyed by the early opener, Real Madrid had settled into their rhythm with Vallecano on the backfoot. In the 26th minute, the game’s momentum turned on its head as the home side won a penalty after Oscar Trejo’s volley came off Eduardo Camavinga’s handball. Following a VAR review, the referee awarded them a spot-kick, with Raul De Tomas crashing it home in the middle for his first La Liga goal of the season.
Just minutes later, Vallecano nearly turned the match around. As a corner was played in, Trejo came in with a good chance to score, but fired his shot right at Lunin. Real Madrid too missed a good chance at the other end shortly after as Valverde’s shot came off the post. The match was on a knife’s edge with both side going at each other.
Moments into the second half, Madrid survived another scare in defense. Aurelien Tchouameni was caught in possession but showed nice recovery to smother Fran Garcia, who looked to capitalize. As the match progressed, the momentum punctured, with both sides taking a more cautious approach to avoid conceding in a crucial period.
In the 80th minute, Los Blancos won a free-kick from a good position. Toni Kroos stepped up to take it and shot it on target. However, Dimitrievski jumped the right way to parry it away and keep his side in the tie. Real Madrid were reduced to 10-men in the dying embers as Dani Carvajal was sent off.
Having lost seven of their previous 10 games, Rayo Vallecano held the leaders to a draw in a stoic performance that could be a huge boost of their confidence in their bid for survival. On the other hand, Real Madrid’s lead could now be cut to just three points if Girona won their match in hand.
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid: Top Performers
Federico Valverde – 7/10
On a day when Real Madrid’s attackers failed to shine, Federico Valverde stepped up and delivered a sparkling performance. The Uruguayan showed tremendous work ethic, covering a lot of ground in order to make things happen. He completed 90% of his passes and bagged the assist for Joselu’s goal after finding the onrushing forward with a lovely cross.
Raul de Tomas – 7.5/10
He wasn’t necessarily the best player on the field for Rayo Vallecano but Raul de Tomas made his presence felt. The striker dispatched his penalty clinically to draw his side level at 1-1 and eventually earn a point in the match. It’s worth noting that he hadn’t scored a goal in La Liga this season, and the odds of him scoring against the league leaders was too low too. Nonetheless, the 29-year-old converted the only chance he had in the match to break the duck and officially open his account for the campaign. He certainly loves a game against Real Madrid, having now scored in three of his last five appearances against them.
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid: Match Point
And just like that, the title race is open again, just a week after Real Madrid had consolidated their position as title favorites with Girona thrashing. It was a lackluster display from the Whites, who were lacking in their usual attacking flair. Despite having 61% possession and 11 shots in the match, Carlo Ancelotti’s side finished with just a draw. It may not seem fair, but Madrid have only themselves to blame here for their inefficiency.
Rayo Vallecano, though, should be happy with their performance here. The Red Sashes came into the game on the back of a long winless run but managed to hold their mighty visitors to a draw on the back of a sturdy defensive show. Should the side continue like this, their survival in the top flight will be confirmed.
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