Rayo Vallecano Edges Past Mallorca in Intense Encounter

Early Action Leads to Rayo’s Swift Opener

Rayo Vallecano struck first within the opening minutes of the match, as a brilliant long pass from Real Betis loanie Nobel Mendy found Alvaro Garcia. Garcia’s cutback was met by Jorge de Frutos, who netted his seventh goal in the first half of his last eight games.

Mallorca Responds Strongly

Despite the early goal, Mallorca quickly found their rhythm in the game. A missed opportunity by center-back Marash Kumbulla, who headed Johan Mojica’s cross wide, led to Mallorca drawing level. After Carlos Martin lost the ball, Mojica seized the moment to assist Toni Lato, whose excellent delivery allowed Vedat Muriqi to score, marking his 11th LaLiga goal this season, placing him just behind Kylian Mbappe in the scoring charts.

Rayo Regains Advantage

The momentum swung back towards Rayo Vallecano as they were able to regain their lead just before halftime. Referee Juan Martínez Munuera awarded a penalty after deeming that Martin Valjent had caught De Frutos in the face. Isi Palazon confidently converted the penalty, sending Rayo into halftime with a 2-1 advantage.

Match Developments in the Second Half

As the match continued, De Frutos nearly extended their lead with a strike that required a solid save from Mallorca’s Leo Roman. Shortly after, Mallorca’s Samu Costa inadvertently struck his own crossbar with a header, showcasing the tight nature of the competition.

Rayo’s substitutes included Leeds United loanee Mateo Joseph, but the match’s intensity remained high with few clear chances for either side. García squandered a promising opportunity, while Palazón’s calm presence in midfield provided some necessary control as Rayo sought to secure their victory.

Late Drama with a Red Card

The contest turned dramatic again when stand-in captain Oscar Valentin was shown a red card for a challenge on Pablo Torre in the 80th minute. As Rayo tried to manage the game, Muriqi posed a threat in the dying moments, almost managing to level the score.

Upcoming Matches

Despite the red card incident, Rayo Vallecano will maintain a positive outlook as they prepare for their Copa del Rey fixture against struggling Alaves next week. On the other hand, Mallorca, who have now allowed the highest number of first-half goals in LaLiga this season (18), will not return to action until Saturday, when they host Athletic Club.

Player of the Match

Flashscore Man of the Match: Isi Palazon (Rayo Vallecano)

Stay tuned for further updates and match statistics with Flashscore.