MADRID — The recent strong performance of Leganes came to an abrupt end as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at home against Rayo Vallecano in a La Liga match on Friday. The turning point of the match occurred in the first half when captain Sergio González received a red card, significantly impacting his team’s chances.

Leganes had been enjoying a successful streak, having gone five matches without a loss, which included notable victories such as a win against Atletico Madrid and a draw against Athletic Bilbao. However, during this matchup, they struggled defensively for most of the first half. Just before the halftime whistle, González pulled Rayo player Nteka down near the penalty area, leading to a straight red card being shown. Despite his generally commendable disciplinary record, with only two yellow cards in 24 matches this season, the decision to send him off was seen by many as severe.

With the advantage of an extra player, Rayo Vallecano pressed harder in the second half. Their persistence paid off when Pathé Ciss scored the only goal of the match 13 minutes before full time. The Senegalese international had to make two attempts in a goalmouth scramble, but ultimately found the back of the net, helping Rayo extend their unbeaten league streak to eight games.

In a dramatic finish, Leganes was awarded a penalty in the dying moments of the match. Although Valentin Rosier converted after Augusto Batalla saved the initial attempt from Miguel de la Fuente, the referee ordered the penalty to be retaken. Batalla once again rose to the challenge, denying Rosier and ensuring that Rayo Vallecano secured all three points, elevating them to sixth place in the league standings, while Leganes dropped to 16th position.