Rayo see off 10-man Granada

Rayo Vallecano continued their march up the table with a 3-0 win at 10-man Granada.

Rayo Vallecano continued their march up the Primera Division table as a second-half blitz earned them a 3-0 win at 10-man Granada. The hosts had Yacine Brahimi sent off soon after the break for a second yellow card and moments later Atletico Madrid loanee Saul Niguez broke the deadlock with a 30-yard strike. Rayo's top scorer Joaquin Larrivey doubled the lead five minutes later to put Rayo on their way a seventh win in 10 games and substitute Seba Fernandez added a third late on, netting for the first time in more than two years. Rayo moved on to 43 points on the back of the victory and look set for a mid-table finish, but Granada are still far from securing their top-flight status, and left the pitch to boos from their own fans. Rayo began the game brightly and passed up two early chances, but their former striker Piti nearly gave the hosts the lead, his 25-yard effort forcing a save from ex-team-mate Ruben Martinez. It preceded a short spell of dominance for the hosts, with Youssef El Arabi and Fran Rico both going close, while Rico missed the chance of the game on the stroke of half-time, heading a corner wide of the near post. Granada had further chances at the start of the second period, with Brahimi shooting against the bar moments before he was given his marching orders, a shirt pull punished with a second booking. The hosts were shaken by the decision and were soon a goal down, although there was little they could do to stop the opener. Saul won the ball back inside the Granada half before unleashing a left-footed strike high into the top corner. Goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis was at full stretch, but helpless to prevent the ball from going in. Granada then failed to track Larrivey as he approached the area and got on the end of a pass from Bueno to confidently find the far corner with his shot. It was his third goal in as many games and his 12th for the season. With five minutes remaining, the Argentinian marksman turned provider, holding the ball up on the right hand side before delivering a fine cross towards Fernandez, who nodded into the bottom corner just outside the six-yard box to seal the points.