Mbappe Penalty Rescues Madrid as Rayo Push Bernabeu to the Edge

Real Madrid had to dig deep and suffer before claiming a crucial 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in a tense LaLiga encounter that went deep into stoppage time at the Bernabeu.

Los Blancos made a bright start and struck first inside 15 minutes through Vinicius Junior, who produced a moment of pure quality to lift the home crowd. Found on the left, the Brazilian drove into the box and bent a superb right-footed effort into the far corner, ending his league goal drought in emphatic fashion.

Despite taking the lead, Madrid never truly settled. Rayo Vallecano grew in confidence as the first half wore on, repeatedly finding space down the flanks and unsettling a home side that struggled to control the tempo. The warning signs were clear, and they were punished shortly after the restart.

Four minutes into the second half, Jorge de Frutos brought Rayo level with a well-taken finish from close range after a smart move down the left. The equaliser sparked belief among the visitors, who suddenly looked the more dangerous side.

Madrid were rocked further when Andrei Ratiu burst through on goal just past the hour mark, only for Thibaut Courtois to produce a vital save that kept the hosts alive. That moment proved decisive in shaping the rest of the contest.

The game swung again on 80 minutes when Pathé Ciss was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Dani Ceballos. With Rayo reduced to ten men, Madrid laid siege to the Vallecano box, pinning the visitors back and forcing wave after wave of pressure.

Just when it appeared Rayo would cling on for a famous point, late drama arrived. Deep into stoppage time, Fran Garcia was brought down inside the area, and Kylian Mbappe stepped up with nerves of steel. The French forward calmly rolled the penalty into the bottom corner to seal the win and score his 22nd league goal of the season.

Tempers flared even further moments later as Pep Chavarria was sent off for a second bookable offence, leaving Rayo with nine men by the final whistle.

The statistics underlined Madrid’s late dominance, with the hosts finishing with an xG of 2.14 compared to Rayo’s 0.06, but the scoreline told a story of a far more demanding afternoon than expected.

The victory moves Real Madrid back within a point of LaLiga leaders Barcelona as they turn their focus to an away trip to Valencia. Rayo Vallecano, despite defeat, will take encouragement from a disciplined and fearless display as they prepare to host Oviedo next.