Celta 2 - Rayo Vallecano 2

Celta: Cavallero; Coira (Gustavo López 55'), Berizzo, Cáceres, Juanfran (Yago 90'); Luccin, Vagner; Karpin, Edu, Jesuli (Giovanella 70'); Catanha. 4-2-3-1.
Rayo: Imanol Etxeberria; Corino, De Quintana, Mainz, Graff; Ferrón (Peragón 50'), Quevedo, Pablo Sanz (Glaucio 71'), Michel; Baljic, Bolo (Bolic 71'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Celta: No change / Rayo: Ferrón for Peragón.

Goals:
0-1. 36. Bolo. Headed down past keeper from corner by Ferrón from right.
1-1. 54. Catanha. Placed header in off post after long cross from left.
2-1. 66. Edu. Bent shot into net from outside of area after keeper gave ball away.
2-2. 91. Bolic. Headed in from short range after cross in from right by Corino.

Celta lost out on the chance to move temporarily to the top of the table after Rayo Vallecano snatched a last minute equaliser at the Balaidos stadium. Playing early on Saturday evening, a victory would have taken them above Deportivo and Real Madrid and put pressure on both sides for their game later in the day. Víctor Fernández put out his best available side, missing only the injured Mostovoi and Velasco, with Maurice and Giovanella returning from injury to take up their places on the substitutes' bench. Rayo Vallecano had had a hard week, with masked gunmen robbing their offices on Friday, other thieves taking personal belongings from the dressing room earlier in the week, fights with the federation over the dates for the rescheduled game with Alavés (provisionally set for 23rd January, the same day as the cup semi-final), and to round things off, a snub from the local Madrid council who preferred to see second division Atlético as Real Madrid's rival in the midweek friendly match to promote Madrid's candidature for the 2012 Olympics.

All of this they put behind them though, and shortly before the break they surprisingly took the lead, Bolo rising unmarked to head home a corner from new signing Ferrón, who was making his first appearance since rejoining the club from Zaragoza. Up to then Celta had had the best of the play, with Jesuli hitting a post early on and Edu wasting another good chance. Catanha got the goal they deserved though after the break, heading home his tenth of the season to move level with Urzaiz and Raúl at the top of the Pichichi table. Víctor immediately brought on Gustavo López to go for the jugular, and a few minutes later the Gallicians were in front, Etxeberria giving the ball away to Jesuli who set up Edú for him to drive a spectacular shot into the top corner of the net.

It looked as if victory was in a sight, and Gustavo López could have extended the lead if Etxeberria had not made a vital save to make up for his earlier mistake. However Rayo are becoming a bit of bogey team for Celta having not lost to them since the Madrid based team were promoted three seasons ago, and a lapse of concentration let in Bolic for the equaliser in injury time. The point does keep the Vigo side in the Champions League places and maintains their six game unbeaten run, but their fans left the ground disappointed that they could not start the year with a victory. Rayo take home a point but are still bottom, six points adrift of the rest after the weekend's fixtures, and nothing short of a miracle will save them now it seems.