Rayo Vallecano 2-3 Real Madrid: Lucky escape for los Blancos in dramatic derby Carlo Ancelotti's men were in cruise control after a Cristiano Ronaldo double and a header from Karim Benzema but they flirted with disaster after giving away two penalties
Real Madrid were given
an almighty scare
before holding on to
claim a vital 3-2 victory
over Rayo Vallecano on
Saturday night.
The visitors looked to be on course for
another big win after Cristiano Ronaldo's
double, which sandwiched a Karim Benzema
strike, but two penalties in as many second-
half minutes from Jonathan Viera put a
different complexion on the match.
Madrid held on despite late pressure,
though, closing the gap on leaders Barcelona
to six points, leaving their hosts rooted to
the foot of the table.
Rayo boss Paco Jemez made only one change
from their defeat at Osasuna, bringing in
Nacho Martinez for Alberto Bueno. In
contrast, Carlo Ancelotti continued to rotate
his squad as he made six alterations from
their win over Sevilla, with Xabi Alonso
making his first start of the season.
Fresh from putting seven past Sevilla on
Wednesday, Madrid appeared in clinical
mood again and it took Ronaldo only three
minutes to break the deadlock, as he
collected Luka Modric's pass and confidently
placed an effort into the bottom far corner.
That strike was his 19th in 15 matches this
season, making it his best start to a
campaign, and although Rayo had a goal
disallowed through Iago Falque, Madrid
continued to stretch the hosts' defence.
Bale set up the next two goals at Estadio de
Vallecas as his right-footed cross was
headed past Ruben by Benzema after 31
minutes, the Frenchman's third goal of the
week.
And the Welshman squared to Ronaldo three
minutes into the second half for Real's third,
with the visitors seemingly in cruise control.
But the rampant visitors saw their progress
halted soon after as Dani Carvajal brought
down Viera in the box on 53 minutes, and
the striker picked himself up to convert the
penalty.
Remarkably, he was afforded the opportunity
to reduce the deficit further just two minutes
later - Marcelo the offender this time, fouling
Falque after Joaquin Larrivey's header had
come back off the crossbar. Viera kept his
cool to double his tally and bring it back to
3-2, with Madrid clearly rocking.
Jemez's side thought they had equalised with
25 minutes to go, but Diego Lopez tipped
Bueno's effort on to the post.
Saul missed a glorious chance to equalise in
the area with just over 10 minutes to play as
he knocked wide while off balance, before
Ronaldo forced Ruben into a smart double
save at the other end.
Right-back Tito headed narrowly wide of
Lopez's post in stoppage time, but Madrid
claimed the points to extend Rayo's losing
streak against their illustrious neighbours to
11 matches.
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