Raúl de Tomás and Sergio Camello found the net with a pass from Álvaro García, delivering a victory that lifts the team up the table and strengthens their European hopes at Valladolid’s expense, as the visitors suffered their third straight defeat and sat just a point above the relegation line.
Coming off a win over Elche, the Madrid side started with intent, hoping to dominate possession from the opening whistle. Valladolid, however, pressed early with a set-piece from Monchu three minutes in that Dimitrievski parried firmly with his fists, signaling a tight battle ahead.
Rayo pressed with their usual vertical tempo and, with Oscar Trejo directing play from behind, began to control the game and the ball. In a well-worked sequence, Álvaro García came on, gathered a loose ball on the turn, and Jordi Masip could only watch as it skidded toward his left post for a corner.
Moments later, at the 20th minute, Abdul Moomin, the Ghanian defender, surged forward to meet a high ball and volleyed an overhead kick that thundered against the crossbar, lifting the crowd.
Valladolid’s first setback came with Luis Pérez’s injury, and Iván Fresneda took his place, prompting Paulo Pezzolano to shuffle his defense earlier than planned. The visitors bore the brunt of Rayo’s attacking pressure, yet they remained dangerous on counter after the halt in play.
After the break, two minutes into the second period, Álvaro García delivered a precise pivot pass that found Raúl de Tomás in space to head the ball into the net. The Madrid forward celebrated with restraint, his first goal of the season, ending a long drought as he lined up his fourteenth appearance of the campaign and the 469-minute wait concluded.
It seemed like a moment to spark a classic finish, and the goal captured the crowd’s imagination. The moment was even captured on social media with a clip celebrating García’s setup and de Tomás’s header, shared by the broadcaster DAZN in Spain.
The joy for Rayo was short-lived. A defensive lapse on a clearance allowed Canada’s Cyle Larin to pounce and fire on goal, with Dimitrievski producing a sharp save to keep the scoreline intact for the moment.
From there, the game drifted into a controlled rhythm, and the sides traded chances without alarm until another bold run from García surfaced. He seized on a mistake by Monchu at the middle third and surged forward, delivering a cross that Sergio Camello converted at the far post, finishing at close range to extend the lead.
Just three minutes later Valladolid narrowed the gap after Iván Sánchez delivered from the left and Sergio León glanced a header into the opposite corner, bending the ball into the far post and giving the visitors a glimmer of hope in the dying minutes.
This late strike unsettled Rayo’s supporters, but the home team steadied themselves and managed the closing minutes with composed control. They sealed the win by maintaining discipline in defense and executing quick transitions when needed, securing sixth place with six points and maintaining a pathway to European qualification. In the same frame, Real Madrid edged Osasuna by a single goal in the King’s Cup final, while Valladolid remained one point above the relegation line after a third consecutive loss.