Babys’ dramatic late strike changed the mood at Vallecas as the Cape Verdean winger Tiago Manuel Dias Correia found the net in the 91st minute to rescue a point for Rayo Vallecano in a pulsating clash against Real Sociedad. The visitors had taken the lead earlier through a brace by Mikel Oyarzabal, with one of the goals from the spot helping Real Sociedad tilt the balance in their favor. It was a moment that underscored the stubborn resolve of the home side to stay in hunt of a result until the final whistle.
The atmosphere around the Vallecas stadium, with clouds hanging low and rain threatening, bore witness to a game that kept fans on their toes from start to finish. Rayo and Real Sociedad lined up in contrasting but equally aggressive formations, each intent on probing the other’s defense while maintaining a solid shape at the back. The ninety minutes unfolded as a high-octane exchange of chances, with both teams swapping blows in a relentless search for the goal that would settle the contest once and for all.
The first warning arrived from Real Sociedad in the thirteenth minute when Brais Méndez delivered a precise free kick from the edge of the box. The effort struck the crossbar and rattled Stole Dimitrievski, signaling the visitors’ danger on set plays and their capacity to destabilize the goalkeeper with dead-ball situations.
That moment drew a quick reaction from the away side, and Brais Méndez’s early strike was a reminder that Real Sociedad would not sit back. The ball, deflected by the wind and tempo of the match, added intensity to a game that already promised end-to-end action. A note from Movistar Plus+ captured the scene: a sharp, memorable hit that underscored the match’s quality and the competitive nature of La Liga night football.
Rayo responded by pressing higher up the pitch through their pacy wingers, Isi Palazón and Álvaro García. Their pace exposed gaps in Real Sociedad’s ranks, making the visitors work hard to defend aerial duels and second balls. The approach forced Real Sociedad to stay compact at the back while looking to spring counterattacks, a dynamic that kept the stands engaged and the tempo brisk throughout the opening period.
Thirty minutes into the game, Florian Lejeune unleashed a powerful free kick from about twenty yards. He swung the ball in, and it traveled with a dangerous arc toward Alex Remiro’s far left post. Abdul Mumin surged forward, beating two defenders with a decisive, low strike that found the bottom corner. The goal changed the momentum of the match and delivered a moment of pure shock for the home crowd, lifting Rayo from the threat of falling behind and injecting belief into their ranks.
The joy for Rayo proved fleeting. Ten minutes later Real Sociedad responded in kind through a well-orchestrated counter attack. Ander Barrenetxea picked up the ball on the left flank and delivered a precise cross that found Mikel Oyarzabal, who steered the ball into the net with the right foot, placing it between Lejeune and Moomin as he beat them with clinical precision. The equalizer restored balance and set the stage for a tense second half where both teams would push for the upper hand without surrendering ground in defense.
In the second half, the pace remained high, but the intensity of the initial pressing gradually eased as both teams adjusted their tempo. The match adopted a rhythm where chances came in bursts, and defenses endured long bursts of hostile pressure. The midfield battles intensified as players sought to control the center of the park, and the goalkeepers remained vigilant, ready to deny the onrushing attackers with timely reflexes and decisive interventions.
With the clock ticking toward the hour mark, Real Sociedad were awarded a penalty after a handball by Uruguayan Matias Espino. Oyarzabal stepped up from eleven meters and converted confidently, giving Real Sociedad the lead and signaling a moment of adversity for Rayo that demanded collective resolve. The coach, Francisco Rodríguez, reacted by reshuffling the lineup, bringing on Kike Pérez, Sergio Camello, Jorge de Frutos, and Radamel Falcao. The substitutions aimed to inject fresh energy into the attack and create a renewed sense of urgency as the team chased an equalizer.
Rayo’s tactical response was to press with renewed purpose, attempting to stretch Real Sociedad and exploit any gaps in the opposing defense. The visitors, meanwhile, continued to threaten on the counter and look for opportunities to extend their advantage through disciplined counter-attacks and sharp finishing. The game’s flow remained dynamic, with Take Kubo and Sadiq Umar proving dangerous on the break, each firing efforts that clipped the left post or narrowly missed the target as the hosts sought a late lifeline.
The spark that fans had hoped for arrived in stoppage time when Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, nicknamed Baby, produced a moment of individual brilliance that echoed his previous impact in extra time against Las Palmas. A low, curling long-range shot found its way past Remiro, and as the ball slid into the far corner, the stadium erupted. The equalizer not only leveled the score but also sparked a surge of belief among the Vallecas faithful that a dramatic late twist could still unfold.
Moments after the goal, the atmosphere reached fever pitch as the crowd roared and the home side laid siege to Real Sociedad’s goal, seeking a winner that would salvage all three points. Yet despite the sustained pressure and a series of attacking moves, the final whistle arrived without further goals, leaving Rayo to reflect on what might have been but also on a resilient display that kept their hopes alive heading into the next fixture. Sadiq Umar had one last clear-cut chance in the seventh minute of added time, a solitary run that ended with a shot that the defense recovered to block, summing up a match that had swung on small margins and individual moments of magic.