Mbappé and Vinícius score as Real Madrid beats Rayo to join Barcelona at the top of Spanish league

Barcelonaa remains ahead of Madrid on the head-to-head tiebreaker

Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid Spain Soccer La Liga Rayo Vallecano Santiago...

Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior scored goals in a five-minute span in the first half as Real Madrid held on to beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Sunday and move level on points with Barcelona at the top of the Spanish league.

Mbappé scored in the 30th minute and Vinícius doubled the lead in the 34th to give Madrid the same 57 points as Barcelona, which had its match against Osasuna on Saturday postponed after the death of first-team doctor Carles Miñarro Garcia.

Barcelona remains ahead of Madrid on the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Vinicius Jr. Real Madrid Spain Soccer La Liga Rayo Vallecano Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal.LAPRESSE

Rayo, which stayed in seventh place, hit back with a goal from Pedro Díaz in first-half stoppage time. It hasn’t won in four straight league matches, with three losses and a draw.

Atletico de Madrid falters

Atletico wasted a chance to retake the league lead after conceding two late goals in a 2-1 loss at Getafe.

 

Diego Simeone’s team scored first with penalty kick converted by Alexander Sorloth in the 75th, but it couldn’t hold on to the lead after Ángel Correa was sent off with a straight red card for a hard foul.

Midfielder Mauro Arambarri equalized for the hosts in the 88th and scored the winner two minutes into stoppage time.