Kylian Mbappé's penalty in the 100th minute secured a dramatic 2-1 victory for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday. The win keeps Real Madrid within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona.
The match was a hard-fought affair, with Rayo Vallecano putting up a strong challenge despite finishing the game with nine men. Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham was forced off the pitch with a hamstring injury early in the game. Vinícius Júnior then opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 16th minute with a curling shot into the top corner.
Rayo Vallecano equalized shortly after half-time, in the 49th minute, when Jorge de Frutos fired home a half-volley from Álvaro Garcia's headed assist. The visitors were then reduced to 10 men after Pathe Ciss was shown a straight red card in the 80th minute for a reckless tackle on Dani Ceballos.
Despite being a man down, Rayo Vallecano defended resolutely, and the match seemed destined for a draw. However, in the final moments of stoppage time, Nobel Mendy clumsily fouled Brahim Diaz in the area, gifting Real Madrid a penalty. Mbappé stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick to give his team all three points. In the dying moments of the game, Rayo's Pep Chavarria was also sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
The victory was Real Madrid's sixth consecutive win in La Liga. However, the performance was unconvincing, and the home fans made their feelings known with whistles and jeers during the match. Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa acknowledged the team's struggles, stating that it was "a victory with a lot of heart, a lot of soul". He also praised the Bernabéu crowd for pushing the team on.
Real Madrid will hope to build on this win and improve their performances in the coming weeks as they look to overtake Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table. Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, will be disappointed to come away with nothing after a spirited display. They will need to improve their form quickly if they are to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle.