Rayo Vallecano cruises to a 0-2 victory at Granada as La Liga resumes
Rayo Vallecano claimed their second win of the campaign by beating Granada 0-2 at the Nuevo Los Cármenes on a night when Granada had yet to find the back of the net in this La Liga restart. The visitors moved toward the upper part of the table with the result, demonstrating clinical finishing in a tight contest.
Álvaro García opened the scoring in the 75th minute, finishing after a sequence of chances from both sides. Four minutes later, Unai López delivered a powerful shot following a spectacular back-heel assist, sealing the result for Rayo. Granada were left with a numerical disadvantage when Pathe Ciss saw a straight red for a dangerous challenge on Antonio Puertas in the 85th minute, further complicating their comeback efforts.
The first half offered a balanced exchange with early chances for both teams, though Rayo asserted greater influence as the period progressed. Granada grew into the match, pressing higher and seeking opportunities to disrupt the rhythm of the visitors, who controlled the ball more often and tested the Granada defense with sharp passing and movement.
During a stoppage of play caused by a brief power outage that briefly plunged the field into darkness, Portuguese goalkeeper André Ferreira had to respond to several threats. Granada attempted to catch Rayo on the break, with Randy Nteka testing the defense and Florin Lejeune delivering a series of direct free kicks, one of which led to Óscar Valentín’s rebound being cleared by the Rayo defense before the danger could threaten a late equalizer.
Rayo attacked with intent but failed to completely seal their defense as Granada pressed to level the score. Samu Omorodion’s departure for Atlético de Madrid left a gap in Granada’s forward line, while Myrto Uzuni remained a constant threat on counterattacks, particularly during quick transitions that tested the Rayo back line. Stole Dimitrievski contributed to the clean sheet with decisive saves, starting with a key stop on Ignasi Miquel’s attempt and followed by moments of individual brilliance from Bryan Zaragoza, who looked like the most dangerous attacker for Granada in the first half.
In the second half, Dimitrievski continued to shield Rayo, making another crucial save as a counterattack finished by José Callejón looked likely to pull Granada back into the match. Madrid’s club controlled more of the possession than their opponent, with Isi Palazón proving unusually industrious and firing across goal from distance to test André Ferreira.
The standout moment of action arrived in the later stages when Bryan Zaragoza produced another dynamic surge, his powerful run nearly ending with a goal when his shot hit the post and bounced to Sergio Ruiz, who fired wide in a defining moment of the match. Rayo capitalized on the sustained pressure to move ahead 1-0 in the 75th minute, a score that was then doubled four minutes later by Pathe Ciss after Álvaro García contributed to the move with a precise finish aimed toward the far post and a controlled finish past the advancing Granada keeper.
Granada’s hopes of replying quickly evaporated when Antonio Puertas received a direct red card in the 85th minute for a reckless tackle, reducing them to ten players and forcing them deeper in search of a late initiative. As additional time approached, Pathe Ciss and Bebito Dias contributed to a late push, with Uzuni and Famara Diedhiou attempting to salvage something from the game for Granada, though the defense held firm and the final whistle confirmed a 0-2 result for Rayo Vallecano.
Data sheet: Granada started with André, Ricard, Ignasi Miquel, and Carlos Neva in defense, with a midfield built around Gumbau and Sergio Ruiz. Upfront, Bryan and Uzuni led the attack, with Puertas returning to the lineup late in the game. Rayo Vallecano lined up with Dimitrievski in goal, a back four including Balliu and Lejeune, and an offense anchored by Unai López and Isi Palazón, with Álvaro García and Nteka providing wide options. Goals came from Álvaro García in the 75th minute and Pathe Ciss in the 79th minute. The match referee was González Fuertes from Asturias. A minute’s silence honored Granada season ticket holders who had passed away the previous season. The attendance reached 17,338 at Nuevo Los Cármenes.
Source: Movistar Football