The Vallecano night had started with a scare. At 2 minutes, Alex Suárez miscalculated a bounce and striker Sergio Camello took advantage of it to appear in the area and even shoot. But the ball went to the side of the net, near the position of the recovered Cillessen.
But it was Las Palmas that got it right on their first chance, because after a corner Fabio Silva deflected a header into the Batalla nets. It was also the yellows’ first attack, which ended with a good cross from Sandro that the Portuguese managed to connect despite Gumbau’s hold in the area.
The 0-1 score further fueled the match, with constant trips to each of the areas. Lejuene headed a corner onto the crossbar in the 12th minute, but moments later his defensive colleague McKenna also finished off another in the area. Fabio Silva was very close to connecting with a second shot on that same play.
Las Palmas was ahead on the scoreboard, but could not dictate the pattern of the match against an impulsive rival. The next wave of shots from the local team occurred at half an hour, with an attempt by Chavarría rejected by Cillessen and another by Gumbau, who crossed the goal line without deciding to let the ball go in.
Madrid’s attempts were incessant, with a total of 15 shots during the first half (33 in total). Las Palmas understood that the match depended on collective order and effort in all areas of the field. And also with deployments in the attempt to surprise the Vallecan rearguard again.
The first route of the second half maintained the patterns of local pressure and Gran Canaria resistance. But at the hour mark, again in a corner play, Las Palmas scored the second goal in similar circumstances at 0-1. Sandro sent the ball from the left corner of the attack, the ball flew towards the first post, but Aridane Hernández touched a header and also deflected it towards his own goal.
Las Palmas wanted more because they distrusted the 0-2. Seven minutes later the yellows celebrated the third of their goals, this time with a textbook play on the counter: Kirian enabled Manu Fuster, who won the race against his pair and shot cross next to the post.
The Gran Canaria hubbub contrasted with the local silence. The effectiveness was giving a full boost to Diego Martínez’s hard-working team.
The match ended unevenly, with constant chances in both goals in the final minutes. Las Palmas was able to score with shots from Kirian, Jaime Mata, Fuster and even McKenna himself, who went on the attack in a counterattack.
In extra time came Rayo’s goal, with an involuntary deflection from McKenna to De Frutos’ center.
