A penalty goal from Colombian Radamel Falcao, when ten minutes of added time had elapsed in the second half, allowed Rayo Vallecano to rescue a point against Mallorca, who started losing but was able to turn the score around with goals from Kosovar Vedat Muriqi and Antonio Sánchez.
With hardly any time for the last fans who entered the stadium to settle into their seats, Rayo Vallecano took the lead on the scoreboard. It was after three minutes through Álvaro García, who shot low cross before the exit of Predrag Rajkovic, after a good individual play by Sergio Camello, who escaped from Matija Nastasic with a dribble on the half turn.
Rayo was very comfortable on the pitch playing at the pace set by Unai López and Pathé Ciss against a Mallorca team that took time to get into position and find its game, partly due to the setback that occurred after twelve minutes due to injury to Jaume Costa. who was replaced by Toni Lato.
Rayo was able to score the second goal with a free kick from Unai López to the right corner that crashed into the post and was a serious warning for Mallorca, who finished starting after that action to begin multiplying their arrivals to the local goal.
Muriqi was the reference player of the vermilion attack and, on the third chance he had, he found a reward, although it was with suspense just before the break. Abdón Prats extended a header after a free kick and the ball fell to the Kosovar, who scored a goal inside the area on the verge of offside, so the VAR had to validate the action after a few minutes of debate.
That goal gave wings to Mallorca, who went to half-time with a smile and took to the pitch in the second half with one more gear than Rayo, something that translated into a new goal. Sergi Darder invented a genius with a pass between the lines behind 'Pacha' Espino that Antonio Sánchez took advantage of to take a low low shot that was unappealable for Stole Dimitrievski.
Francisco Rodríguez, Rayo coach, did not hesitate and went on the attack with all his arsenal. He retired the center back Aridane Hernández and the winger 'Pacha' Espino and brought out Radamel Falcao and Raúl de Tomás to search for the goal with all his resources. Even so, the best chances came with a cross from Isi Palazón that did not touch anyone and ended up hitting the outside of a post and with a long-range shot from Florian Lejeune that Rajkovic repelled.
When the game languished in added time to the desperation of Rayo, who could not find the formula to hurt his rival, Gio González touched the ball with his arm in a jump and the referee declared a penalty.
Falcao shot from eleven meters and Rajkovic cleared his shot, but being ahead he had to repeat the shot. In his second attempt, the Colombian did not fail, to the delirium of his team's fans, who joyfully celebrated the goal in the face of the despair of the visiting players, who retired to the locker room, visibly affected.
2 - Rayo Vallecano: Dimitrievski; Balliu, Aridane (Fruits, m.70), Lejeune, Hawthorn (Falcao, m.80); Pathé Ciss, Unai Lopez (Stray, m.60); Isi, Kike Perez (Valentine, m.60), Alvaro; and Camel (Raoul de Thomas, m.60).
2 - Real Mallorca: Rajkovic; Gio Gonzalez, Valjent, Nastasic, Jaume Costa (Lato, m.12); Samu Costa, Antonio Sanchez (Mascarell, m.63), Dani Rodriguez; Sergi Darder (Morlanes, m.85), Muriqi and Abdon Prats (Amath, m.63).
Goals: 1-0: M.4 Alvaro Garcia; 1-1: M.44 Seed; 1-2: M.58 Antonio Sanchez; 2-2: M.100 Falcao from the penalty spot.
Referee: Mario Melero López (Andalusian Committee). He admonished Unai López (m.43) and De Tomás (90 4), from Rayo; and Darder (83) and Gio González (90 4), Amath (90 6) and Mascarell (90 10), from Mallorca. He also warned Jaume Costa (90), when he was on the bench.
Incidents: match corresponding to matchday 8 of the EA Sports League, played at the Vallecas Stadium in front of around 14,000 spectators.
