Rayo Vallecano hit back to sink La Real

Real Sociedad de Fútbol's hopes of finishing in the top four in Spain suffered a major dent as they were stunned 3-2 at home by struggling Rayo Vallecano de Madrid.

La Real went into the match having lost just one of their previous 26 home league games, and had the perfect start when Iñigo Martínez broke the deadlock inside two minutes. Joaquín Larrivey quickly levelled from the spot, however, and though Rubén Pardo made it 2-1 before the break, second-half goals from Alberto Bueno (47) and Rubén Rochina (67) earned the visitors a stunning victory. The result leaves Real Sociedad eight points adrift of fourth-placed Athletic Club.

Rayo Vallecano remain second from bottom but four points now separate them from 11th. Two of the teams in the thick of it met earlier in the evening, as Málaga CF moved level with opponents CA Osasuna three points clear of the relegation zone after a 2-0 away victory that looked unlikely when, leading through Samu's early goal, Jesús Gámez was sent off seven minutes into the second half. Yet with Willy in fine form Osasuna could not find a way through, their misery compounded by Nordin Amrabat's 66th-minute strike.