Rayo Vallecano kick off 2025 with key Celta Vigo win

Rayo Vallecano have started 2025 in winning style with a 2-1 Friday night La Liga home victory over Celta Vigo.

The hosts won 3-1 at Racing Ferrol in their opening game of the New Year, to advance in the Copa del Rey, and that was followed by three points in league action.

A win stretches their unbeaten run to five league games, either side of the break, as Adri Embarba smashed home his first league goal of the campaign, inside the first five minutes in Vallecas.

However, the visitors rallied before the break, as Borja Iglesias slipped in behind to lash home an equaliser.

Rayo were denied goals from set pieces before and after the interval before Jorge de Frutos grabbed his chance to confidently net the winner.

⚡️¡FINAAAAAL EN VALLECAS!➕3⃣ con goles de @AdriEmbarba11 (4′) y @Jorge_deFrutosS (62′).

👏 ¡Gracias rayistas por vuestro apoyo incansable!#RayoCelta #VamosRayo pic.twitter.com/S2XQckXNzx

— Rayo Vallecano (@RayoVallecano) January 10, 2025

Celta’s misery was completed in added time, as Marcos Alonso was dismissed for a second yellow card, as Rayo held on.

Rayo now head to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey last 16 on January 16 with Celta at Real Madrid on the same night.

Images via Getty Images