Rayo: Cobeño; Tito, Zé Castro, Amaya, Nacho Martínez; Fatau (Jozabed 57‘), Trashorras; Kakuta, Alberto Bueno (Miku 69’), Embarba (Javier Aquino 81‘); Manucho. 4-2-3-1.
Madrid: Casillas; Dani Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos, James (Nacho Fernández 90‘); Bale (Chicharito 91‘), Benzema (Isco 72‘), Cristiano Ronaldo. 4-3-3.
Goals:
0-1. 68. Ronaldo. Steered header down past Cobeño from Carvajal cross.
0-2. 74. James. Picked up Ronaldo pass and struck shot wide of keeper.
Yellow cards: James 20’, Tito 40’, Nacho 44’, Ronaldo 51’, Kroos 52’, Bale 52’, Carvajal 54’, Cobeño 61’, Amaya 63’.
Real Madrid stay four points behind leaders Barcelona after they beat Rayo Vallecano 0-2 on Wednesday evening. Paco Jémez’s side were not to be daunted by their bigger neighbours though, Embarba shooting wide early on and Bueno, Manucho and Trashorras bringing good saves out of Casillas before the break. Bale had a strike ruled out for offside midway through the first half, and headed wide soon after the restart, and Cristiano Ronaldo had a penalty appeal turned down after Amaya brought him down in the area, the referee surprisingly booking the striker for diving. Benzema, Marcelo, Bale and James all fired shots wide after that however as Madrid took control, and midway through the second half Ronaldo opened the scoring with a diving header from Carvajal’s cross. Some six minutes later James made it two after picking up a pass from Ronaldo, and it was all over.