Mariano Díaz’s Late Equaliser Earns Alaves a Point Against Rayo Vallecano

Camello Goal Not Enough as Alaves Earn Late Draw

Rayo Vallecano and Alaves shared a 1-1 draw at Estadio Municipal de Butarque after Sergio Camello’s second-half opener was cancelled out by Mariano Díaz in the closing stages. Rayo led for much of the second half, but Alaves’ greater attacking output eventually earned them a point.

Camello Gives Rayo the Lead

Rayo Vallecano moved ahead three minutes after half-time when Sergio Camello finished an opportunity created by J. de Frutos in the 48th minute. The goal rewarded Rayo’s early second-half progress and gave Benat San Jose’s 4-1-4-1 formation a lead to defend.

Camello remained a central figure throughout the match, producing two shots on target and completing 92 minutes. He was also booked in the 73rd minute, but his goal and overall contribution earned him a joint-best match rating of 7.7 alongside Alaves’ Pablo Ibáñez.

Alaves Respond Through Mariano Díaz

Alaves continued to threaten after falling behind and found their reward in the 84th minute. Mariano Díaz, who played 30 minutes, scored the equaliser to complete a decisive appearance from the bench and restore parity late in the contest.

The response reflected Alaves’ sustained pressure rather than a sudden change in the match’s direction. N. Tenaglia was booked in the 45th minute and N. Valentini received a yellow card in the 90th, while Camello’s earlier booking was Rayo’s only recorded caution.

Statistics Reveal Alaves’ Attacking Edge

Alaves had the stronger statistical platform despite the teams finishing level. Quique Sanchez Flores’ side held 53% possession, completed 331 passes at 82% accuracy and attempted 13 shots, compared with Rayo’s 296 passes, 80% accuracy and eight attempts.

The expected-goals figures showed an even clearer difference, with Alaves recording 1.82 compared with Rayo’s 0.40. Rayo nevertheless placed more efforts on target, three to two, while Alaves produced eight shots inside the box and forced Rayo to defend a greater volume of attacking situations.

What the Draw Means for Both Teams

The draw gives Rayo Vallecano their first point of the league campaign after their opening loss to Sevilla. The available pre-match standings had placed Rayo 17th with no points from one match, so the result provides an immediate improvement to their early record, although no updated ranking is supplied.

Alaves add a point to the three earned from their opening 3-0 victory over Getafe, taking them to four points from two matches. Their position in the available standings was second before kick-off, and the result extends their unbeaten start while also highlighting the attacking edge that kept them in the match.