Mbappé's last-gasp penalty lifts Real Madrid to 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in Spanish league
- - Mbappé's last-gasp penalty lifts Real Madrid to 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in Spanish league
TALES AZZONI February 1, 2026 at 9:33 PM
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1 / 5Spain La Liga SoccerReal Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty kick deep into stoppage time as Real Madrid salvaged a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano to get back within a point of Spanish league leader Barcelona on Sunday.
Vinícius Júnior also scored for Madrid after again being jeered by fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Jude Bellingham, also booed when the lineup was announced, had to be replaced 10 minutes into the match because of an apparent left hamstring injury.
Madrid was coming off a 4-2 loss against Benfica that dropped the team out of the eight automatic spots for the round of 16 of the Champions League. It will face Benfica again in the playoffs.
Mbappé scored his eighth goal in his last five matches with Madrid with the last-gasp penalty that allowed Álvaro Arbeloa's side to keep pace with Barcelona, which won 3-1 at Elche on Saturday.
The boos toward Vinícius were subdued after he scored in the 15th minute with a superb goal. The Brazil international cleared three defenders before sending a right-footed shot into the top corner.
Rayo, which played a man down from the 80th after Pathé Ciss was sent off with a straight red card for a hard foul, equalized with Jorge De Frutos in the 49th.
Vallecano, which threatened at times at the Bernabeu, also saw Pep Chavarría shown a second yellow in the final minutes of added time.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Source: “AOL Sports”
