Vallecano Edges Closer to Europe with Narrow Win

Las Palmas' relegation worries deepen after a narrow 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano, who move closer to securing a European place.

Rayo Vallecano moved closer to a European spot with a 1-0 win over Las Palmas at the Estadio de Gran Canaria. The victory kept Rayo's European ambitions alive, temporarily lifting them into the UEFA Europa League qualification spots.

Las Palmas' loss extended their winless streak to three games, further jeopardizing their LaLiga survival hopes. Celta Vigo's match against Sevilla tomorrow will determine if Rayo's Europa League qualification hopes hold up.

Rayo Vallecano began the match on a high note, dominating possession and creating early scoring opportunities. However, Las Palmas struggled to generate shots on goal, with their first notable threat coming in the 22nd minute.

A corner kick for Rayo Vallecano found Florian Lejeune, who headed the ball towards goal, but his effort was straight at Las Palmas' goalkeeper, Dinko Horkaš, denying Rayo an early advantage.

The hosts had the most promising opportunity of the first half when Mika Marmol's pass found Oli McBurnie in the penalty area. However, Augusto Batalla made an impressive save, pushing McBurnie's shot away from the bottom-left corner.

FT: #LasPalmasRayo 0-1

⚡️ @RayoVallecano win the 3 points and climb to 7th place... #DesenlaceLALIGA | #LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/btOyBPg0YN

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) May 9, 2025

Despite struggling to gain momentum after that missed chance, Las Palmas held their ground until halftime, heading into the break with the score still level.

The second half began at a slow pace, with both teams struggling to create scoring opportunities. However, the deadlock was broken in the 66th minute when Álvaro García scored a brilliant goal for Rayo Vallecano, outmaneuvering his marker in the penalty area to fire a precise shot that hit the underside of the crossbar.

After falling behind, Las Palmas pushed forward and became more involved in the game, but they couldn't breach Rayo Vallecano's solid defense, allowing the visitors to hold onto their 1-0 lead.

The home side's most promising opportunity fell to McBurnie in the 77th minute, but his header sailed over the bar after a corner kick. Despite this missed chance, Martinez's team held firm to secure crucial points.

With this win, they climbed to seventh place, boosting their chances of qualifying for the Europa League. In contrast, Las Palmas's prospects are dwindling, now three points shy of safety with only three games left to play.