Rayo Vallecano 3 - Málaga 0

Rayo: Lopetegui; Corino (Cota 90'), Hernández, De Quintana, Graff; Helder, Iván Iglesias; Glaucio (Baljic 68'), Peragón, Arteaga; Bolic (Bolo 80'). 4-2-3-1.
Málaga: Contreras; Rojas, Litos, Fernando Sanz, Roteta; Miguel Angel, Sandro; Gerardo (Duda 35'), Zárate, Musampa (Canabal 60'); Dely Valdés. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Rayo: Corino, Hernández, Iván Iglesias, Arteaga for Cota, Mainz, Pablo Sanz, Michel / Málaga: Zárate for Canabal.

Goals:
1-0. 39. Arteaga. Cross from wing which went into goal with help from Contreras.
2-0. 45. Peragón (penalty). After Roteta ruled to have pulled back Peragón.
3-0. 81. Bolic. Forced ball past keeper after short pass from Iván Iglesias.

Bottom club Rayo Vallecano recorded their third home win in a row, beating one of their rivals for relegation, Málaga. The visitors started well, with Dely Valdés shooting wide early on after taking the ball past the advancing Lopetegui. But it was Rayo who went in front with a fluke goal, Arteaga's cross from the left wing catching the wind and dropping in to the goal with a little help from the out of position Contreras. Peragón added a second before the break from the penalty spot after he himself had been pulled back by Roteta, and Málaga made it even more difficult for themselves when Fernando Sanz got himself sent off for a second bookable offence in the second half.

With Uruguay's Darío Silva away on international duty, Peiró brought on Canabal, and the visitors went close twice through Zárate, once with an effort from 40 metres which flew just over the bar, and then another shot from outside of the area which Lopetegui tipped on to the crossbar. Manzano brought on Rayo's new signing from Real Madrid Baljic, but it was his fellow countryman Bolic who got the third near the end, forcing the ball past Contreras after Iglesias had set him up. It was a morale boosting victory for Rayo, but with other results going against them they still stay bottom. They do however close up on some of the teams above them, including Málaga who are now only a place above the relegation spots.