In one of the most surprising results of the LaLiga opening weekend, Rayo Vallecano secured a 2-1 victory against Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena, marking their first win against the Basque side since January 2015.
The win was spurred by a decisive goal from Jorge de Frutos, breaking a lengthy head-to-head drought and setting a positive tone for Rayo Vallecano as they embark on their centennial season in the 2024/25 campaign.
Rayo Vallecano, who were underdogs before the match, almost began their historic season with an early lead.
The daring full-back, Andrei Ratiu, showed no signs of being daunted by the pre-match predictions, swiftly bypassing Real Sociedad’s goalkeeper, Alex Remiro.
However, his effort was heroically cleared off the line by the retreating Jon Pacheco, denying Rayo an early goal within the first 30 seconds of play.
Reacting to this early scare, Real Sociedad nearly opened the scoring themselves. Brais Mendez directed Sheraldo Becker’s superb cross into a dangerous area, but his header narrowly missed the target.
Rayo’s new goalkeeper, Daniel Cardenas, who stepped in after Stole Dimitrievski’s summer move to Valencia, was soon tested.
He made a stunning save to tip Benat Turrientes’ powerful long-range shot over the bar.
Cardenas then had a stroke of luck as Aritz Elustondo inexplicably missed an open goal, glancing his header wide as the first half ended with neither team managing to break the deadlock.
As the second half commenced, Sociedad’s Sheraldo Becker missed a golden opportunity to put his team ahead, sending his one-on-one shot high into the stands after being denied by Cardenas. This miss would prove costly.
In the 67th minute, Rayo Vallecano seized their chance. De Frutos delivered a thunderous strike into the net, capitalizing on a brilliant setup by Abdul Mumin to give Rayo the lead.
Despite Sociedad introducing their midfield star and Liverpool target, Martin Zubimendi, in the second half, Rayo remained composed and unfazed.
Substitute Sergio Camello then doubled Rayo’s advantage with a calm finish past Remiro, effectively sealing the win with just six minutes left in regular time.
Although Zubimendi managed to score a late consolation goal with the final kick of the match, it was too little, too late.
The victory not only ended Sociedad’s nine-year dominance in this fixture but also provided a crucial early-season boost for Rayo Vallecano.
However, the challenge continues as Rayo prepares for a trip to Getafe on Saturday, with only a short rest period before their next battle in LaLiga.
