Barcelona overcome early scare to beat Rayo Vallecano 5:2
Barcelona conceded their first goal of the season but rallied to defeat Rayo Vallecano 5:2 at home, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal both scoring twice.
Barcelona kept their perfect start to the Spanish LaLiga season alive in round three, though this time not without conceding for the first time. In the 12th minute, Rayo Vallecano forward Sergio Camello capitalized on a defensive lapse to put the visitors ahead 1:0.
The hosts responded quickly. In the 19th minute, Raphinha finished off a well-worked move to equalize, and just two minutes later 19-year-old Lamine Yamal fired the ball into the near top corner to make it 2:1. It marked contrasting moments in the pair's season — Yamal's first goal of the campaign, while Raphinha notched his fourth.
Second-half twists
Another Barcelona goal was ruled out for offside before the break, but early in the second half the hosts extended their lead when veteran defender Florian Lejeune turned the ball into his own net following a cross from Anthony Gordon. Rayo Vallecano refused to fold, pulling one back through Camello's second goal of the match to make it 2:3.
Barcelona ultimately settled the contest. In the 71st minute, Raphinha scored his fifth goal of the season with an unusual backheel finish, and Yamal added a late strike into the bottom corner to seal the 5:2 final score.
The win keeps Barcelona level with Real Madrid at the top of the table, both clubs having won all three of their opening matches. Raphinha, with five goals in three games, currently leads the league's scoring charts.
