Stoppage-time penalty hands Madrid crucial win over Rayo Vallecano

MADRID — Kylian Mbappe came through for Real Madrid again, converting a penalty kick 10 minutes into second-half stoppage time to salvage a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano and move Madrid back within a point of Spanish league leader Barcelona on Sunday.

Vinicius Junior also scored for Madrid after again being jeered by fans early on at the Santiago Bernabeu. Jude Bellingham, also booed when the lineup was announced, had to be replaced 10 minutes into the match because of a left hamstring injury.

Madrid was coming off a 4-2 loss at Benfica that dropped the team out of the eight automatic spots for the round of 16 of the Champions League. It will face Benfica again in the playoffs.

"We came from a tough defeat, one that nobody ever wants, in the Champions League, a competition many of us aspire to win," Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said."We wanted to change that image, today we had the first opportunity, and I think we played a great game."

It was certainly a thriller, with Mbappe giving Madrid the victory by coolly converting the last-gasp penalty for his eighth goal in five matches.

The result allowed Alvaro Arbeloa's side to keep pace with Barcelona, which won 3-1 at Elche on Saturday.

"It was a victory into which the players put a lot of energy, their soul," said Arbeloa, who took over after replacing Xabi Alonso last month.

"We needed the help of the fans, and without their push we would not have achieved it."

The boos toward Vinicius were subdued after he scored a superb goal in the 15th minute. The Brazil international cleared a couple of defenders before curling a right-footed shot into the top corner.

Rayo, which played a man down from the 80th after Pathe Ciss was sent off with a straight red card for a hard foul, equalized through Jorge De Frutos in the 49th.

Vallecano, which threatened at times, also saw Pep Chavarria shown a second yellow in the final minutes of added time.

Rayo, which has lost four straight in all competitions, had lost only one of its last five games against Madrid in the league. It dropped to 17th place, just outside the relegation zone.

Bellingham injured

Bellingham was on his own when he seemed to pick up his injury.

He immediately grabbed the back of his leg with his left hand before dropping to the ground.

He received medical assistance and seemed emotional as he left the field under his own power.

Madrid did not provide a timetable for Bellingham's recovery, but Spanish media said he is not likely to return in time to face Benfica in the Champions League playoffs.

"Following tests carried out today on our player Jude Bellingham by Real Madrid's medical services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg," said Los Blancos in a statement, without specifying the length of his expected absence.

Spanish media reported the 22-year-old England international could miss around a month.

As well as the playoff games against Jose Mourinho's Benfica on Feb 17 and 25, Bellingham is likely to miss league matches against Valencia, Real Sociedad and Osasuna.

The England international was replaced by Brahim Diaz, who, five minutes later, set up the Vinicius goal that made it 1-0 for Madrid. Diaz also drew the foul for the penalty converted by Mbappe.

Mbappe had missed an open net in the 68th, hitting the crossbar after getting past the goalkeeper.

With the game tied 1-1 in the 64th, Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a crucial save, one-on-one, following a Rayo breakaway.

Agencies