Rayo Vallecano unleashes fury: Girona crumbles under clinical onslaught

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 68/100. An early red card for Paulo Gazzaniga transformed a competitive contest into a masterclass, with Rayo Vallecano executing ruthlessly against a Girona side left in numerical chaos.

Early carnage sets the tone

From minute 18, Jorge de Frutos ignited the fuse with a clinical finish that foreshadowed Girona's collapse. Just 120 seconds later, Álvaro García doubled the lead, again with De Frutos providing the assist. The Intensity was suffocating: Rayo unleashed 16 shots to Girona's 7, completing 86% of passes versus 77% for the hosts. But the true inflection point arrived in the 43rd minute when Paulo Gazzaniga saw red for a professional foul—leaving Girona with ten men before halftime.

The penalty-kick execution

Down to ten, Girona unraveled. Isi Palazón buried the spot-kick in the 45th minute, essentially putting the match to bed. De Frutos capped a 9.2-rated performance with both goal and assist, showcasing why Rayo sits second in the table. The Balance was nonexistent: Rayo generated 3.43 xG while Girona managed just 0.56. Possession told the story—56% for Rayo, 481 accurate passes, a suffocating display of control.

A late consolation that changes nothing

In the 57th minute, Joel Roca scored for Girona with an assist from Tsygankov, but it was mere window dressing on a 3-1 defeat. The chasm between these sides is real: Rayo departs with three points and second place, while Girona finds itself 17th with zero points after just one match. The Stakes couldn't be starker—one team chasing glory, the other fighting for survival from matchday one.