La Liga: Mbappe’s late penalty rescues Real Madrid against Rayo
Real Madrid needed a stoppage-time penalty from Kylian Mbappe to edge past Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Sunday, a scrappy victory that kept Alvaro Arbeloa side within one point of La Liga leaders Barcelona.
Los Blancos were far from convincing at the Santiago Bernabeu and were made to work for three points that looked unlikely for long stretches, especially after Jude Bellingham was forced off early with a hamstring problem.
Early struggles and Bellingham blow
Madrid began sluggishly and were fortunate not to fall behind inside the opening five minutes, with Ilias Akhomach wasting a clear chance in the box.
The home side’s problems deepened shortly after when Bellingham was substituted following an apparent hamstring injury, casting a shadow over the win.
Despite the uneven start, Madrid gradually gained control. Vinicius Junior broke the deadlock with a moment of quality, cutting inside and curling a precise finish into the top-right corner.
Further chances followed, with Brahim Díaz firing wide and Mbappe’s low cut-back narrowly evading a teammate, but Madrid went into the break with only a slim advantage.
Rayo response and late drama
Rayo Vallecano punished Madrid’s lack of authority after the restart. Jorge de Frutos levelled the score, getting in front of Aurélien Tchouaméni to finish calmly past Thibaut Courtois.
The visitors threatened to go ahead soon after, only for Courtois to deny Andrei Rațiu in a one-on-one.
Mbappe had a golden opportunity to restore Madrid’s lead when he rounded the goalkeeper, but his effort struck the crossbar.
Eduardo Camavinga also went close, heading against the outside of the post as frustration grew among the home fans.
Madrid’s breakthrough finally came deep into stoppage time. After nine minutes were added, a clumsy challenge by Nobel Mendy handed the hosts a 98th-minute penalty.
Mbappe stepped up and converted confidently, completing a dramatic turnaround and sparing Madrid’s blushes on a difficult evening.