Rayo Vallecano beats Celta de Vigo in La Liga and approaches the Europa League
Goals from Isi and De Frutos put Vallecanos one step away from qualifying for Europe.
Balaídos had everything ready to celebrate, but at the end of the match, instead of “A Rianxeira,” what was heard was “La Vida Pirata .” Rayo Vallecano came back, suffered, and ended up celebrating on the pitch, which they still have to seal next week against Mallorca. Europe is already searching Google Maps for directions to the Portazgo Metro.
Celta came out more alert and struck early. Mingueza appeared where no one expected him, and his pass back was finished by Swedberg against Lejeune’s outstretched arm. Marcos Alonso executed it like a Panenka against Batalla, which is like cutting in front of a 600-kilogram bull.
But playing against Iñigo Pérez’s Rayo Vallecano is like having termites in your home . You don’t see them and maybe you don’t notice them, but little by little they’re eating away at your structure. By shifting their play to the shadowy wing and linking passes, La Franja began to gain ground, and a cross from Pacha Espino rewarded them. Isi, who’s deceptive because he’s under 1.70 meters tall, headed past Guaita, who couldn’t even get it out with his cap.
Balaídos fell silent, and Celta tried to react, because the calendar said “holiday,” and a setback wasn’t in the cards. Fer López nearly brought the bulldozer to its feet with a brilliant play that left Pacha and Óscar Valentín in stitches, but it was Rayo who struck again just before halftime.
Lejeune sent a cross into the box and De Frutos did everything right . He controlled with his midfield, sat down Yoel Lago, and slotted a left-footed shot past Guaita’s post. Rayo Vallecano had been invited to a birthday party, and he thanked them by throwing the cake to the ground.
A furious and insufficient Celta
Giráldez’s speech must have been a good one, because Celta came out foaming at the mouth and had a triple chance within a minute. Swedberg and Pablo Durán were denied by Pathé Ciss , and the ball fell to Fer López in the heart of the box, but just as he was celebrating the equalizer, Balliu’s foot appeared to deny him glory.
Rayo barely left their own half, and when they did, they found an intense and tense Celta. Yoel Lago saved a one-on-one with De Frutos, and Iñigo’s team retreated, transformed into a swarm of red ants trapped in a tunnel with no way out inside their own area.
It was a stirring effort from the franjirrojos, accompanied by saves from Batalla, who once again kept Rayo in his grip with a miraculous double intervention in second-half stoppage time.
In reality, everything remains as it was. If Celta wins on the final day in Getafe, they’ll be in the Europa League, and if Rayo Vallecas does the same against Mallorca, they’ll be a Conference team . They’ve got it there, so close… but so far away until it’s in their pocket.
