Rayo Vallecano get off to dream start to LaLiga season with victory over Real Sociedad
Commemorating the club’s centennial across the 2024/25 campaign, visiting Rayo Vallecano nearly got their landmark season off to the perfect start. Flying-forward full-back Andrei Ratiu was in no mood to acknowledge Rayo’s status as pre-match outsiders, and skipped past Real Sociedad keeper.
Alex Remiro with ease, but saw his goalbound effort stopped from crossing the line by the retreating figure of Jon Pacheco.
In response to nearly going behind within the opening 30 seconds, the hosts came close to netting the game’s opening goal, as Brais Mendez headed Sheraldo Becker’s delicious delivery into the danger zone inches wide of the mark.
However, it was not long before Rayo’s new number one, Daniel Cardenas – following Stole Dimitrievski’s summer departure to divisional rivals Valencia – was called into his first act of the evening, acrobatically flicking Benat Turrientes’ ferocious effort from a distance over the bar.
However, Cardenas was handed a massive let-off by Aritz Elustondo as the game entered the final third of the opening 45’, with the defender planting his glancing header the wrong side of the post inexplicably in front of an open goal, as the first half concluded with neither side able to find the decisive breakthrough.
Having opened a new top-flight campaign with only a solitary victory from five previous attempts, Becker spurned an opportunity to break the deadlock for Sociedad shortly after the restart, as he blazed his one-on-one effort against Cardenas high into the stands.
The Suriname international’s miss would ultimately come back to haunt the hosts in the 67th minute, as de Frutos gave Rayo the lead with a fierce strike that flew into the back of the net following brilliant build-up play from Abdul Mumin.
Despite having midfield maestro and Liverpool target Martin Zubimendi on the pitch for the second half, Rayo did not seem fazed.
And substitute Sergio Camello put the game to bed with six minutes left in regular time, via a confidently-taken finish past Remiro.
That man Zubimendi netted a late consolation with practically the last kick of the game, but ultimately ran out of time.
The landmark victory brings an end to Sociedad's nine-year head-to-head dominance, but this is just one battle in a relentless war, as Rayo have just short of a week's rest before their trip to Getafe on Saturday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jorge de Frutos (Rayo Vallecano)
