The League
7:00 p.mApril 3, 2026
Regular season – 30
Vallecas Football Field
Referee: José Luis Munuera Montero, Spain
Rayo Vallecano
Elx
Turn off the spoiler to see match stats
1.36
Expected Goals (xG)
0.44
Passing by
342 (85%)
Accurate passes
208 (73%)
Turn off the spoiler to see the events of the match
13
G
August Batalla
7.2
3
d
Josep Chavarría
6.9
5
d
Luis Felipe
6.9
24
d
Florian Lejeune
8.0
2
d
Andrei Ratiu
7.9
17
m
Unai López
7.3
23
m
Oscar Valentín (C)
7.3
7
m
The contents of the Palazón
6.7
F
Alvaro Garcia
74′
9
F
german
6.3
19
F
Jorge de Fruits
6.9
1
G
Matías Dituro
7.3
21
d
Leo Petrot
6.6
d
Pedro Bigas (C)
22′ Holding
39′ rough
22
d
David Affengruber
6.9
15
m
Die Tete
7.3
14
m
Alex Febas
7.0
8
m
Marc Aguado
7.0
42
m
Buba Sangare
6.6
F
Rafa Mir
45′ roughF
Alvaro Rodríguez
63′ Stumbled
11
F
Germán Valera
7.3
The League Standings – First Division
Qualification/Relegation
- Promotion – Champions League (League phase)
- Promotion – Europa League (League phase)
- Promotion – Conference League (ranking)
- Relegation – LaLiga2
Rayo Vallecano secured a crucial 1-0 win over ten-man Elche with substitute Randy Nteka scoring the winner.
Rayo Vallecano beat Elche in a La Liga match 1-0 at the Vallecas Football Stadium. Randy Nteka emerged as the hero, finding the net in the 74th minute to seal a vital three points.
This La Liga clash was of significant importance to both teams, each fighting to move away from the relegation zone. Rayo Vallecano were in 14th place with 32 points, while 17th-placed Elche with 29 points were desperate to improve on their inconsistent recent form.
The first exchanges were tight, with neither side able to establish clear dominance. The game, however, took a dramatic turn before the break.
Elche defender Pedro Bigas received his first yellow card in the 22nd minute for holding an opponent. That caution foreshadowed more trouble for the visiting team.
Just 17 minutes later, in the 39th minute, Bigas received a second yellow card for aggression, which led to an immediate red. Elche were forced to play the rest of the match with ten men, greatly altering their tactical approach.
Despite the numerical advantage, Rayo struggled to break down Elche’s strong defense before the half-time whistle. Elxista Raúl Mir has also received a yellow card for having missed it a few moments before the break.
Bigas’ dismissal completely reshaped the game, putting immense pressure on Rayo Vallecano to capitalize. They needed to find a way through Elche’s determined ten-man block in the second half.
Elche reacted defensively and brought on Arnau Pedrosa for Raúl Mir at the start of the second half. Their focus shifted firmly to frustrating the home team and protecting their goal.
Rayo Vallecano stepped up their offensive efforts, dominating possession with 60%. They scattered Elche’s goal as Florian Lejeune and Andrei Rațiu actively pushed forward from the defence.
Finally, the breakthrough came in the 74th minute. Substitute Randy Nteka, introduced earlier in the 66th minute, proved to be the super substitute. He deftly converted an assist from Álvaro García, guiding his shot past Elx goalkeeper Matías Dituro to fire up the home crowd.
Elche made a flurry of late changes in the 77th minute, bringing on Andre Silva, F. Redondo Solari and G. Villar. These changes were meant to inject fresh energy and somehow find an equaliser, but Rayo’s defense held firm.
Rayo Vallecano finished the match with an expected goals balance (xG) of 1.36 against Elx’s 0.44. The local team has registered 21 shots in total, with 5 on goal, forcing four saves from Dituro. Elche had 9 shots, 4 on target, in their limited effort.
This hard-fought 1-0 win gives Rayo Vallecano a crucial boost in their La Liga survival campaign. Conversely, the defeat leaves Elche even more entrenched in a precarious position near the bottom of the table.
