Rayo: Toño; Tito, Zé Castro, Amaya, Nacho; Trashorras, Fatau (Jozabed 51‘); Kakuta, Alberto Bueno (Miku 66’), Embarba (Pozuelo 77‘); Manucho. 4-2-3-1.
Almería: Rubén; Ximo Navarro, Mauro Dos Santos, Trujillo, Dubarbier (Hemed 74‘); Azeez (Edgar 77’), Corona; Wellington Silva (Jonathan Zongo 49’), Thomas, Espinosa; Thievy. 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 23. Amaya. Far post header down past Rubén from Zé Castro’s cross.
2-0. 90. Miku. Controlled Kakuta centre and fired shot into net from close up.
Yellow cards: Dubarbier 52’, Tito 77’, Espinosa 79’.
Rayo Vallecano are still in the running for the Europa League spots, and they are now four points below seventh placed Málaga after a 2-0 win against Almería in the Sunday mid-day game. Espinosa headed over early on, and Trashorras came up against Rubén before Amaya got on the end of Zé Castro’s cross to head in the opener midway through the first half. Referee Gil Manzano turned down two penalty appeals at each end either side of the break, and Thievy brought a good save out of Toño at the beginning of the second half. Rubén kept out Embarba and Manucho, and Toño tipped a header from Zongo over the bar, but with the game coming to an end Miku made sure of the three points with his team’s second after good work down the right by Kakuta. The defeat means that Almería stay in the relegation spots, although another four teams are within three points of them in the table.