La Liga began this afternoon with a clear victory for Rayo Vallecano against Almería at the Power Horse Stadium. Despite the change of coaches, the two teams played similar to last season. Without Andoni Iraola on the bench, the team from the strip looked good, leading with the ball and with good players in the midfield.
Rayo had the game well on track before half an hour thanks to two penalty goals. The first came after 20 minutes. The rookie Edgar González measured poorly and when clearing he kicked Randy Nteka, a French striker recovered from Elche for Rayo. The maximum penalty was converted by Isi Palazón, perhaps the player with the highest quality from Vallecas.
At 28 minutes came the second goal. Aridane, on the attack, headed a ball that he hit Akieme's outstretched arm. No one here protested. Nteka scored and already put the game very uphill for Vicente Moreno's men.
With the score so against as soon as Almería advanced lines and put Rayo in their field in the last quarter of an hour of the first half. Luis Suárez had the clearest chance at minute 33. The Colombian shot from the edge after a play by Akieme but Dmitrievski stopped well.
The second part began with Sergio Arribas on the field, one of the most talented players from La Fábrica who signed for Almería this week for six seasons, although Madrid retains 50% of his rights.
The second part was more boring than the first. Almería had almost all of the ball, but they lacked depth and the chances for the locals were slow, the clearest being a long shot from Ramazani that forced Dimitrievski to clear his fists.
In the last quarter of an hour there was the usual carousel of changes and the game became even more imprecise. Falcao came out at Rayo, but the team only dedicated itself to defending. He didn't have any trouble. Rayo stayed four points last season from playing in European competitions. In this one he has come out strong.
