Rayo Vallecano achieved a comeback victory against Osasuna, winning 3-1 in a special match that featured James Rodríguez’s debut for the team. Senegalese center-back Abdul Mumin, Romanian right-back Andrei Ratiu, and midfielder Unai López scored the goals, all in the second half.
James Rodríguez Anticipated Debut Amid Rayo Vallecano Recent Struggles
Rayo Vallecano, coming off two consecutive losses to Barcelona and Espanyol, was eager to reverse their fortunes in front of their fans. The supporters were excited for the debut of their new star, James Rodríguez.
Osasuna Early Lead and Raúl García Goal
Osasuna, who were without their regular striker Ante Budimir due to injury, had Raúl García de Haro step in as a temporary replacement. He scored the opening goal in the 27th minute. García de Haro took advantage of a poorly cleared aerial ball by Abdul Mumin, dribbled past Óscar Valentín, and took a shot from the edge of the box, with the ball slipping past Augusto Batalla.
Abdul Mumin Redemption with Equalizer
The break proved beneficial for Rayo as they quickly equalized five minutes into the second half. Abdul Mumin redeemed himself with a powerful left-footed shot from a tight angle, hitting the top corner of Sergio Herrera goal.
Andrei Ratiu Goal Pushes Rayo Vallecano Ahead
In the match, Osasuna’s goalkeeper, Sergio Herrera, made a crucial save to deny Isi Palazón. However, he could not prevent Andrei Ratiu from scoring in the 66th minute. Ratiu met a cross from Pep Chavarría and, with a slight deflection off Pablo Ibáñez, managed to score.
In the 86th minute of the match, James Rodríguez, wearing the number 10 shirt, made his entrance onto the pitch, which was eagerly captured by fans with their phones. Though he displayed flashes of his quality at times, he made only a brief impact.
Unai López Goal Seals Rayo Vallecano Victory
In the final moments of the game, Rayo sealed the victory by launching a counter-attack that was completed by Unai López. He drilled a forceful shot from the perimeter of the penalty area, extending their lead to 3-1.
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