Real Madrid have picked up their first away win of the La Liga campaign, with a comfortable 2-0 result at Rayo Vallecano.

This game was originally scheduled for Sunday evening, but was put back 24 hours when officials could not restore power to sections of the stadium and its floodlights, after someone had cut through electrical wires.

Real, who had lost their opening two away matches in La Liga, may have seen the early passages of play go in Rayo’s favour, but took the lead early on. From two yards out and unmarked, Karim Benzema finished a neat counter-attack from Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria.

The visitors then took command of the fixture, creating several chances within a short space of time, threatening notably in numbers on the counter-attack.

It was 33 minutes before Rayo created their first chances, forcing first a strong save from Iker Casillas from a headed cross and then a goal-line clearance from Xabi Alonso in the follow-up shot, but aside from that, Real went in at the break largely untroubled.

A quieter start to the second period was punctuated by a strange backpass from Pepe at one end that Leo Baptistao was unlucky not to control and a handful of long-range efforts from Real at the other.

Benzema thought he had doubled the lead via a quick counter close to the hour mark, but the referee pulled play back for an offside call that replays suggested that Chori Dominguez had played through.

Otherwise quieter in the second half, Jose Mourinho’s team eventually did get a second goal, as Ronaldo converted a penalty, having seen his original low cross from the right handled by a sliding Jordi Amat.

Ronaldo failed to finish off an excellent passing move by the visitors just minutes after that, when his chipped effort in front of an open net came back off the post.

Jose Casado’s late tackle on Mesut Ozil earned him a second yellow in stoppages.

Rayo Vallecano 0-2 Real Madrid

Scorers: Benzema 13 (RM), Ronaldo pen 70 (RM)

Rayo Vallecano: Ruben, Tito (Trashorras 77), Amat, Labaka, Casado; Javi Fuego, Leo Baptistao, Chori Dominguez (Piti 68); Lass, Jose Carlos (Nicki Bille 83), Delibasic

Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Xabi Alonso, Essien, Modric (Ozil 64); Di Maria (Khedira 77), Ronaldo, Benzema (Higuain 71)

Casado sent off 93 (RV)

Tags benzema Ronaldo
La Liga - Club News