March 09, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid moved level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona following a 2-1 victory against city rivals Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. The triumph is just their second win in six league matches, coming at an opportune moment after Barcelona’s fixture was postponed and Atletico Madrid suffered a defeat earlier in the day.
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad dominated proceedings from the outset, with Vinicius Junior striking the woodwork after 15 minutes following excellent work from Rodrygo on the right flank. The breakthrough arrived on the half-hour mark when Kylian Mbappe capitalised on a fortunate bounce before finishing clinically into the far corner, giving the hosts a deserved lead.
Vinicius Junior doubled the advantage moments later with a magnificent solo effort, weaving through multiple defenders before calmly slotting past Augusto Batalla. However, Rayo Vallecano reduced the deficit before half-time when Pedro Diaz struck a powerful shot that hit the crossbar and crossed the line, confirmed following VAR review.
The second half proved considerably less eventful, with Los Blancos failing to register a shot on target despite opportunities for both Mbappe and Vinicius. Rayo Vallecano controlled possession after the interval, holding over two-thirds of the ball but creating few meaningful chances despite their territorial dominance in the latter stages.
The result maintains Real Madrid’s perfect home record across their last four matches in all competitions. Attention now turns to Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter against city rivals Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium, a crucial fixture in their European campaign.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
