Real Madrid 3 - Rayo Vallecano 1

Real Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Hierro, Pavón (Portillo 76'), Roberto Carlos; Flavio Conceiçao, Cambiasso (Solari 46'); Figo, Guti, Raúl; Ronaldo (Morientes 85'). 4-2-3-1.
Rayo: Segura; Mario, De Quintana, Quevedo, Graff; Azkoitia, Iriney; Julio Alvarez (Mora 84'), Luis Cembranos (Camuñas 64'), Michel; Peragón (Onopko 78'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Hierro, Cambiasso, Guti for Iván Helguera, Makelele, Zidane / Rayo: Julio Alvarez, Luis Cembranos for Onopko, Bolic.

Goals:
0-1. 10. Luis Cembranos. Free kick which bounced past everyone into net.
1-1. 86. Morientes. Header long ball from Roberto Carlos over Segura.
2-1. 90. Portillo. Headed down past keeper from Solari cross.
3-1. 93. Morientes. Ran on to Figo pass and drilled low shot into net.

Real Madrid beat city rivals Rayo Vallecano 3-1 to extend their lead at the top of the table to six points pending Sunday's game between Deportivo and Real Sociedad. It was not an easy win though, and Del Bosque's side trailed right up until the last five minutes of the game, when late substitutes Portillo and Morientes made the difference. Rayo came out fighting from the start though, with Casillas having to save from Michel and Luis Cembranos shooting just wide in the first five minutes. Then in the ninth minute Cembranos gave the visitors the lead when his free kick bounced past everyone and in to the net, Peragón's feint putting off Ronaldo and Casillas who between them let the ball through.

Missing their injured French internationals Zidane and Makelele, Madrid were unable to reply. Segura saved well from Roberto Carlos and Raúl, and only Figo posed any threat to the team from the poor side of town who could even have increased their lead on a couple of occasions. Then with five minutes to go Del Bosque finally took off a disappointing Ronaldo to bring on the forgotten man Morientes, who was celebrating his twenty-seventh birthday. A minute later he had levelled the scores, heading a long ball from Roberto Carlos over the committed Segura from the edge of the area for his first league goal of the season.

Then in the last minute of normal time Portillo, who had replaced Pavón earlier in the half, got on the end of a high cross from Solari to head his side in front. Rayo had let their rivals off the hook, and to top it all Morientes got his second of the night three minutes later after Figo put him through. The result gives a boost for Madrid before their Champions League quarter final against Manchester United next Tuesday, and leaves their opponents further down in the relegation zone. If only games were five minutes shorter, Benítez must be thinking!