Daily Times

MADRID: Barcelona wasted a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday thanks to goals in each half from Alvaro Garcia and Fran Garcia. With seven games to play, Barca are top of the league on 76 points, 11 ahead second-placed Real Madrid, who were also stunned 4-2 at lowly Girona on Tuesday. Rayo Vallecano are ninth on 43 points, four adrift of the European qualification spots. Rayo halted Barca’s seven game unbeaten streak in the league with a gutsy performance in front of their fans at a sold-out Estadio de Vallecas.

They were the better side for most of the match against a slapdash Barca and opened the scoring in the 19th minute after Sergio Camello challenged Gavi and quickly fed Alvaro Garcia who riffled an unstoppable low shot past Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The hosts kept pressing and wasted a couple of chances but got a scare when Robert Lewandowski netted what would have been an equaliser in the 40th minute, before his effort was ruled out after the VAR replay showed he was fractionally offside. Rayo got back on top in the second half and extended their lead in the 52nd minute thanks to a great effort from Fran Garcia, who stole the ball from Frenkie de Jong in midfield and ran through the heart of the Barca defence to score with a tidy finish past Ter Stegen.

Camello missed another great chance in the 64th minute and Unai Lopez also wasted another opportunity to extend Rayo’s lead a little later. However, Barca cut the deficit through Lewandowski, who latched on to a loose ball inside the box and drilled it into the net in the 83rd minute. It proved a consolation, however, as Rayo held on to secure the win. “Rayo played a great game. They deserved the win and we were not up to the task tonight,” defender Ronald Araujo told DAZN. “Good thing we have a good advantage in the standings and we play the next two games at home, it’s our turn to play at home.”