Rayo: Cobeño; Tito (Arbilla 66'),
Gálvez, Galeano (Adrián González 76'), Nacho; Saúl
Ñíguez, Trashorras; Lass, Alberto Bueno, José Carlos
(Alberto Perea 35'); Larrivey. 4-2-3-1.
Elche: Manu
Herrera; Sapunaru, Botía, Lombán, Cisma; Rivera, Generelo
(Mantecón 65'); Carles Gil, Coro, Aarón Ñíguez
(Alvaro Giménez 75'); Manu del Moral (Fidel 57'). 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 40. Alberto Bueno. Ran in to steer Saúl
cross wide of Manu Herrera.
2-0. 44. Perea. Picked up ball outside area and
fired long shot past keeper.
3-0. 74. Alberto Bueno. Ran on from midfield
and struck long shot in to net.
Yellow cards: Gálvez 07', Sapunaru 12', Aarón 50', Galeano 60'.
Elche were back in the top flight for the first time in 24 years, but they couldn't have had a worse start, falling to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Rayo Vallecano. The Albertos were the men who did the damage, Alberto Bueno getting on the end of Saúl's cross to slide home the first with five minutes to go to the break. The other Alberto, Perea, came on when José Carlos limped off with what looked like a serious injury, and he made his mark with a long shot for Rayo's second on the stroke of half time. Coro brought a couple of good saves out of Cobeño in the second half, but with fifteen minutes to go Bueno scored his second of the evening with another impressive shot from outside of the area. A good win for Paco Jémez's side, all the more meritable given that the coach has had to change almost half of his squad in the close season.