Just one win from five matches in November had dampened the hopes of even the most enthusiastic Rayo Vallecano fan, but a dominant first-half display gave hope of a return to their blistering October form.
For large parts of a one-sided first half, Valencia goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala was the sole reason it remained goalless. Most notably, in the 25th minute, he rushed from goal to block Jorge de Frutos’ shot, with Fran Perez also being denied from the rebound by a goal-line headed clearance from Jose Copete.
Valencia resistance would not hold, however.
Nobel Mendy had already squandered one chance from a corner, but five minutes after planting his header wide, he would make no mistake from a similar position. A quickly taken short corner allowed Gerard Gumbau to whip a teasing ball into the box, and the Senegalese defender’s glancing header diverted the ball past a helpless Agirrezabala.
A much-improved Valencia helped to quash the noise inside the Estadio de Vallecas, and despite not finding the quality to create a clear-cut chance, fortune favoured the men from the east coast.
Some scrappy play in the home side’s box led to Diego Lopez firing a shot at goal, and a huge deflection off Rayo’s goalscorer Mendy wrong-footed his own goalkeeper and sent the ball looping into the back of the net.
Despite the away side looking more likely to grab a winner in the closing stages, Rayo Vallecano’s Andrei Ratiu would go closest to finding an elusive winner, as the Romanian lashed in a stinging drive that rattled the side-netting.
Ultimately, a night that started with promise would end in a sense of missed opportunity for the home side, with Valencia pulling themselves a point further clear of relegation despite failing to find that first away win of the La Liga season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gerard Gumbau (Rayo Vallecano)