European Round-Up: Clean sweep for Rayo Vallecano, Celta Vigo and Real Betis | OneFootball

It was a successful night in Europe for La Liga sides, as all three representatives in the Europa League and Conference League picking up wins.

Rayo Vallecano 2-0 Shkendija

At a slightly disconfigured Vallecas, Rayo Vallecano delivered on their first night back in Europe proper in the Conference League. In control from the early going, it was only a matter of time before they took the lead. Unai Lopez converted, with a dribbling effort, a Pacha Espino cutback into the corner. That was after 28 minutes, and three minutes later, Fran Perez sealed the game with his first goal for the club. This time Alvaro Garcia pulled the ball across for an unmarked Perez.

Image via Rayo Vallecano.

Rayo cruise to victory with rotations

The game drifted a little in the second half, and Sergio Camello came close to a third. In a game where Inigo Perez had made nine changes, he could scarcely have asked for a more comfortable outing, as Rayo got their first win on the board in Europe this season. An historic occasion, they face Real Sociedad away this weekend, and Swedish outfit BK Hacken next in the Conference League.

Ludogorets 0-2 Real Betis

Real Betis face Ludogorets in the Europa League in 2022, and made it three wins out of three against the Bulgarian side in Razgrad. Los Verdiblancos were much the stronger side throughout, with their dominance directed by the excellent Giovani Lo Celso. The Argentine midfielder came close to an Olympic goal just after the half hour mark, but followed that up with a lovely strike into the corner minutes later from the edge of the box. Ludogorets responded before the end of the half with a free-kick into the side-netting.

Image via Real Betis

No suffering for Manuel Pellegrini

Betis had made several changes, with Ez Abde, Antony, Cucho Hernandez and Pablo Fornals resting. However it did not show, and eight minutes into the second half, another move started by Lo Celso ended in a goal, and all but ended the game. Aitor Ruibal came down the right, and found Junior Firpo, whose shot was deflected in by ex-Levante man Son. Despite there being most of the second half remaining, Betis saw out the rest of the game without event. They move onto four points, and travel to face KRC Genk in their next clash.

Celta Vigo 3-1 PAOK

Celta Vigo finally got their first win of the season with a brilliant performance at home to Greek giants PAOK. The Galicians ended their eight-game winless streak, but it was not comfortable until the final stages. Despite being the better team early on, with Williot Swedberg and Javi Rueda coming close, it was Giorgos Giakoumakis who struck first. Losing the ball in the right-back position, Andrei Radu saved the ball across, but Giakoumakis was on hand to turn home the rebound.

Image via FdV / J. Lores / P. Hernandez

Claudio Giraldez was no doubt cursing his side’s luck again, but another magician made his team talk much easier. Oscar Mingueza, whose touch was as deft as it was piercing for Celta, played a give and go down the left, and clipped the ball in for Iago Aspas to bring the house down with a header in the middle in first-half stoppage time.

Celta play their best football of the season

The second half saw Celta go for the throat, and after a delightful first-time pass from Mingueza, Swedberg went one-on-one. His effort was saved by Jiri Pavlenka, but Borja Iglesias followed up to stroke home from just inside the box on the volley – his sixth goal in six games. After the goal, Celta began slicing through the PAOK backline, and only an errant final ball from Rueda stopped a blistering counter-attack from being another goal for El Panda.

It was Rueda who cut inside in midfield though, before slipping Swedberg into space to go one-on-one again in the 70th minute. This time the 21-year-old whipped a snooker shot into the bottom corner to seal the win. Bryan Zaragoza and Ferran Jutgla came close late on from the bench, but the overall feeling was that this was the first time the best of Giraldez’s Celta has been seen this season. A first win of the season comes just before Atletico Madrid land in town, while their next Europa League tie is at Balaidos against Nice.