MADRID, 21 (EUROPA PRESS)
Rayo Vallecano beat Belarusian side Neman Grodno 1-0 on Thursday in the first leg of their 2025/26 Conference League qualifying round. The match was played in Szeged, Hungary, and ended in favor of the Madrid side thanks to a goal from Álvaro García midway through the second half.
This match marked Rayo's return to European competition after 25 years, and the goal was to secure their place in the league, hoping to seal it next week in Vallecas during the return leg. However, a long-range left-footed shot from Gerard Gumbau went wide, and Neman Grodno's defense effectively thwarted other early chances.
After the break, and under heavy rain, Rayo Vallecano extended their dominance and had a clear chance to score from a corner in the 67th minute by Isi Palazón, which Florian Lejeune extended and Jozhua Vertrouwd shot in a wave, but the ball went over the bar.
In the 76th minute, Álvaro García made a fine individual move down the left flank and passed low to the edge of the box for Pedro Díaz, whose right-footed shot was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper at mid-air. However, Rayo's persistence was rewarded just a minute later, when Álvaro García himself scored the 0-1.
Following a long pass that seemed intended for Isi, he took a slight touch on the ball, and the Rayo Vallecano number 18 controlled his sprint to break into the Belarusian box, evade a defender, and shoot with his right foot. The shot was powerful but centered, but the Neman Grodno goalkeeper misplaced his glove and the ball went in.
Despite the clear superiority of the visitors at the Szeged-Csanád Grosics Akadémia, the home side had a great chance to equalize in stoppage time with a diving header from center back Ivan Sadovnichiy off a corner. Augusto Batalla's fine save preserved Rayo's minimal advantage for the second leg.
