Real Madrid return to winning ways with slim victory over Rayo Vallecano
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano: Re-live the action from the Bernabeu
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Real Madrid put the Champions League loss to CSKA Moscow behind them with a hard-earned 1-0 derby win over Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu.
Santiago Solari and his side had been jeered off after a 3-0 home defeat by the Russians in midweek, but produced the required result against their local rivals.
An early goal from Karim Benzema, who later went off injured, proved enough for victory, which moved Los Blancos up to third in the LaLiga table, two points off the top.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, though, had to make a smart double save in stoppage time to deny Rayo, who remain second bottom, a dramatic equaliser. Re-live the action below:
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
36 minutes
Benzema works his way into the box and lays the ball off for Kroos. He strikes a ferocious shot with his left foot, which cannons off the post. Modric tries to fire in the rebound but his effort goes wide.
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
37 minutes
Rayo clear a corner, but only as far as Marcelo, who lines up a shot and drills it low towards the bottom corner. Dimitrevski gets down and holds it.
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
42 minutes
Rayo win a free kick in a dangerous position, on the edge of Real's box close to the left byline. It's wasted by Embarba, who puts way too much power on his ball in.
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
45 minutes
Marcelo plays the ball into a huge gap between Rayo's centre backs. Asensio latches onto it, but his searching ball for Benzema is intercepted and Rayo clear.
Half time: Rayo reach half time just the one goal down, then. They'll take that, given the number of promising positions Real have found themselves in. The hosts haven't been particularly clinical, though, and Rayo will know all about their defensive deficiencies.
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
49 minutes
It's been a scrappy start to the second half. Real haven't found their rhythm yet, and the visitors are making things more difficult than in the first 45 minutes.
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
50 minutes
Big chance for Asensio. Modric, with a superb turn, breaks into the box and pulls the ball back. Asensio gets plenty of power on his shot, but Dimitrievski makes himself big and saves.
Real Madrid 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
54 minutes
Rayo make their first changes: Dias Correia and Bebe - formerly of Manchester United - replace Galvez and Medran.
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