Leganes 0-1 Rayo Vallecano
Each Madrid-based sides got here into an area derby on Friday evening in good kind at Butarque, and it had the hallmarks of an area affair. Feisty, hard-fought, and usually missing in goal-mouth motion. However that doesn’t imply to say it wasn’t stuffed with rigidity and drama.
The primary half handed by with Rayo accountable for the sport, and doing extra in assault, with out essentially inflicting Marko Dmitrovic too many points. Neither facet had a shot heading in the right direction within the first interval. What it did embody was an important poin although: Leganes captain Sergio Gonzalez was despatched off, after it was deemed that he was the final man when his problem on Randy Nteka was made.
If something although, that solely strengthened Leganes’ resolve to maintain a clear sheet. Inigo Perez switched up his attacking choices, and went extra attacking typically with two strikers, however his facet discovered a Leganes clearance or block on the tip of each transfer. Lastly although, the dam was damaged by Pathe Ciss. One other nook noticed Florian Lejeune hit the bar. Dmitrovic stored out Ciss’ first effort, however not his second, snapping it into the nook as he fell down from shut vary.
Regardless of the spirited Leganes, with simply 10 minutes to go, it regarded a blunt ‘assault’ on the Rayo objective for the equaliser. Within the dying moments although, Lejeune turned villain after bringing down Darko Brasanac within the field.
Miguel de la Fuente stepped up with 97 minutes on the clock, however couldn’t beat Augusto Batalla from the spot low to his left. His follow-up header was met by Valentin Rosier’s knee although, and that did hit the again of the web.
🦸♂️ @AbatallaOK 🦸♂️#LALIGAHighlights #LeganésRayo pic.twitter.com/ivTfJnAW7Y
— Rayo Vallecano (@RayoVallecano) January 31, 2025
Nevertheless upon a prolonged VAR assessment, Rosier had encroached, resulting in the penalty being retaken. An unlimited Batalla stored out a second comparable effort from de la Fuente to the opposite facet although, and screamed victory with over 100 minutes on the clock.
It lifts Perez’s Rayo into sixth spot and a European place in the interim. They lengthen their unbeaten Liga run, which dates again to the primary of December, and contains 10 factors from their final 12 accessible. Leganes personal five-game unbeaten streak was ended, and leaves them simply three factors away from the drop in sixteenth.