Rayo Vallecano's Controversial Draw In The Last Breath Against Levante (1-1)

Rayo Vallecano's controversial last-gasp draw against Levante (1-1)

A controversial goal by Ciss saved Rayo in injury time against a Levante that continues to fight for salvation

Rayo Vallecano and Levante signed a draw (1-1) in a match full of emotions, with a goal from Ciss in the last minute that raised both the local team and the controversy at the Vallecas Stadium. The tie came in a clash that was marked by disputed referee decisions, expulsions, and a Levante that missed two crucial points in its fight for permanence.

The match, corresponding to matchday 28 of LaLiga EA Sports, started with a Rayo Vallecano that had just played European competitions and with a starting eleven full of new features. Meanwhile, Javi Calleja's Levante presented a practically unchanged lineup, which had shown good results in the previous weeks. From the beginning, the intensity was palpable, and the first half passed with little free-flowing football, but plenty of physical disputes in the center of the field.

Both teams sought to attack on the wings. Rayo, with low centers that rarely found a finisher, and Levante, taking advantage of the aerial skills of their forward, Carlos Espí, who was a constant danger for the local defense. Pedro Díaz had a couple of scoring opportunities that went wide, and Víctor García also tried, but without precision.

However, it was Levante who took the lead before the break, when a precise cross from Iker Losada at the far post was taken advantage of by Espí, who rose above his marker and headed the ball into the back of the net. A goal that put the visitors ahead and seemed key to their aspirations to continue fighting for salvation.

El Rayo, far from giving up, left the locker room with a new attitude. Iñigo Pérez, local coach, introduced Álvaro García and Ilias to provide greater freshness to the attack. But the script of the game changed radically in the 53rd minute, when defender Mendy made a mistake near the center of the field, lost the ball and, while trying to correct his mistake, voluntarily touched the ball with his hand. The referee, César Soto Grado, did not hesitate to show him the second yellow and send him off, leaving Rayo with ten players for almost the entire second half.

From there, Levante tried to take advantage of the numerical superiority. The Barça team dominated possession and reached the rival area several times, but their aim missed. Paco Cortés was not good in his shots and, in one of the clearest plays, the ball was going directly to the goal, but was cleared by Balliu. Rayo, however, continued to fight and believe in the comeback. Ilias, Isi and Ciss were in charge of maintaining the pressure on the Levante defense.

The tying goal came in injury time, when everything seemed lost for the locals. Center back Lejeune won an aerial ball at the near post and crossed it to Ciss, who appeared at the far post to control and cross the ball under the gaze of Ryan, Levante's goalkeeper. A goal that sparked celebration from Rayo, but also indignation from Levante, whose players asked for a possible handball from Ciss in the play. The referee, however, was not called to review the play in the VAR and the goal was validated.

This tie tastes like glory for Rayo Vallecano, who, with ten players, managed to rescue a point that allows them to remain at the top of the table, immersed in the fight for a place in European competitions. However, this tie is a big missed opportunity for Levante, who urgently needed the three points to get closer to salvation, but who, once again, were stopped in injury time by a controversial goal.

Formations and statistics

Vallecano Ray: Battle; Balliu (Ciss, m.76), Lejeune, Mendy, 'Pacha' Espino; Fran Pérez (Álvaro García, m.46), Óscar Valentín (Isi, m.64) Pedro Díaz, Gumbau (Akhomach, m.46); Alemao (Ratiu, m.64) and Jorge de Frutos.

Levant: Ryan; Toljan, Matías Moreno, Matturro, Manu Sánchez; Rey, Iker Losada (Arriaga, m.74), Víctor García (Morales, m.74), Iván Romero (Raghouber, m.74), Tunde (Paco Cortés, m.55), and Espí (Etta Eyong, m.84).

Goals: 0-1: Espí, m.41. 1-1: Ciss, min.94.

Referee: César Soto Grado (Rioja Committee). He yellow carded Mendy (m.19) and Jorge de Frutos (m.40) from Rayo, and Tunde (m.30), Toljan (m.58) and Paco Cortés (m.66) from Levante. Mendy was sent off for a double yellow (m.53).

Incidents: match played at the Vallecas stadium. Before the start, a minute of silence was held in memory of Josefa Pérez, grandmother of Rayista player Isi Palazón.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• What did the tie mean for Rayo Vallecano?
  The draw allowed them to maintain a favorable position in the table, although the feelings are mixed, since they played with ten for much of the second half.
• What was the most controversial play of the game?
  Ciss' injury-time goal, which some Levante players claimed as a handball, was the most controversial moment of the match.
• How did Mendy's expulsion affect Rayo?
  The expulsion left Rayo with ten players for almost the entire second half, which hindered their ability to generate danger, although they fought until the end.
• What happened to Levante in the discount?
  Levante missed two very important points in their fight for permanence, when they received Ciss' goal in added time.
• What was the key to the tie for Rayo?
  The entry of Ciss, Isi and Ratiu, which put the Levante defense in trouble, and the perseverance of the team, which never stopped fighting for the tie.
• What options does Levante have now to avoid relegation?
  Levante is still in a complicated situation, but still has options if it improves its performance and begins to achieve key victories in the coming days.
• Who was the best player of the match?
  Although Ciss's goal was decisive, we must also highlight Espí from Levante, who scored his team's goal and was very active during the match.
• What is expected from Rayo Vallecano's next game?
  Rayo Vallecano needs to regain confidence and continue fighting for a place in European competitions, so it is expected that they will continue showing the same effort as in this match.
• How does this tie affect Levante's aspirations?
  This draw is a great disappointment for Levante, which needs the three points to get closer to permanence, but still has time to recover the lost ground.
• Where can I follow more news about this type of matches?
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