Bruised Strasbourg leave Vallecas with Rayo Vallecano leading semi-final

If both teams had felt stunted in the first half, the claustrophobic Vallecas began to close in on Strasbourg. Now the Rayo midfield and defence were waiting to pounce every time Strasbourg looked to escape. A second corner, this time from the right, was flicked by Lejeune this time, and only a scrambling Mike Penders kept the foundations of Vallecas still this time.

Gary O’Neil’s side seemed to have given up hope of controlling the game at this point, reduced to rare forays forward, invariably brought to an end by Lejeune. The irate O’Neil turned Simeone-esque in the final 10 minutes of the encounter, as play slowed to halt, bogged down between fouls and various red card appeals, none granted by the referee. What had been an edgy game, egged on by the Vallecas crowd, was now bad-tempered.

The only flaw in Lejeune’s game came in the 87th minute. Rayo remaining on top, another ballooning corner dropped onto his head, alone, six yards out. Penders did not have to move to make the save though. Without pursuing a second with great conviction, Rayo had set up camp in the Strasbourg half, and the toll to pass proved too expensive almost every time. The home side had one final golden opportunity, Sergio Camello escaping the attention of three defenders, and laying in Gerard Gumbau unable to sort his feet out with only the goalkeeper to beat.

When Perez made his final change, sending Gerard Gumbau on for the tenacious Unai Lopez, seven of the Strasbourg team bent over, stretching. Lopez’s opposite number, Samir El Mourabet, hobbled forward. Even if Rayo had not caused too much damage to the scoreline, Strasbourg finished the game battered and bruised.

Rayo take an advantage to France next week, but may wonder if their chances, might have left the scoreline looking a little short. What they will not be short of on their flight to Alsace is spirit. On a final lap of honour at Vallecas in their European journey, chants of ‘Yes we can’ rang around Vallecas.