Real Madrid Held to High-scoring Draw at Rayo Vallecano in La Liga

Real Madrid was held at Rayo Vallecano to 3-3 in a thrilling derby on Saturday, missing a chance to overtake Barcelona at the top of La Liga, The Associated Press reported.
Rayo set a fast pace and stunned the powerhouse with two headed goals from Unai López and Abdul Mumin to lead 2-0 by the 36th minute.
Federico Valverde struck with a powerful shot from well outside the area to pull one back for Madrid then Jude Bellingham headed the visitors level from a pass by Rodrygo just before halftime.
Madrid looked on course to completing a comeback win when Rodrygo put them in front for the first time with a deflected shot in the 56th.
But Rayo midfield leader Isi Palazón stretched out a boot to steer Florian Lejeune’s shot past Thibaut Courtois in the 64th.
Madrid was without striker Kylian Mbappé, who is nursing a left-thigh injury. Vinícius Júnior went on as a second-half substitute. Goalie Augusto Batalla saved the Brazilian’s best effort in the final period.
Madrid remained second, one point behind Barcelona.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted his team dropped its guard in defense when his players left López and Mumin unchecked to turn in crosses. But he said he was “satisfied” with his team’s reaction, especially given the injuries to defensive starters Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, and Ferland Mendy.
He also looked to last season, when his team drew twice with Rayo.
“Last year we didn’t win here, we drew, and we won the league anyway,” Ancelotti said. “We are playing well and on the right path. So, we had a draw. We need to look toward the next games."
Madrid, as the Champions League titleholder, next travels to Qatar to play the Intercontinental Cup final against Mexican club Pachuca.
“We have a great chance to win a title on Wednesday, which would put the cherry on top of a great year," Ancelotti said.
Bellingham took his league scoring run to six games in a row.
Vinícius will miss the next game at home against Sevilla after picking up his fifth yellow card, this time for protesting.
Rayo was in 13th place. The modest club has also held Atletico Madrid to 1-1 and forced Barcelona to rally for a 2-1 thanks to a late goal.
“Before the game we talked about all our recent games with Real Madrid when we had been close to winning, so we knew that if they weren't on their game then we could get a good result,” Rayo coach Íñigo Pérez said.
Navas farewells Sevilla fans Sevilla’s Jesus Navas bid farewell to his home fans during a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo as he nears the end of his 20-year playing career.
Players from both teams wore T-shirts saying “Navas Legend” before kickoff. They gave a tearful Navas an honor guard with trophies he won with the club placed on the pitch. Navas wept again, and kneeled to kiss the turf when he was substituted with 20 minutes left.
Navas announced in May he would retire at the end of the year, midway through this season.
Navas, who turned 39 last month, debuted for his boyhood club in 2004 and played two stints for Sevilla on either side of his spell at Manchester City from 2013-17 when he helped it win one Premier League. He helped Sevilla win two Europa Leagues and two Copa del Reys among other titles.
Navas helped Spain win the European Championship last summer, his second. He was also part of the 2010 World Cup champion squad.
His last game will be at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Dec. 22.
Larin scored two goals, one while Mallorca was down to 10 men, to complete a 2-1 comeback win over Girona at home.
Larin scored from an assist by Vedat Muriqi to cancel out Girona’s opener by Donny Van de Beek.
Mallorca went down a man in the 32nd when Muriqi was red-carded for a hard foul of Byran Gil. But Larin got his brace when he pressured goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga and slid to deflect the goalie’s clearance attempt into the goal for the 51st-minute winner
Espanyol held Osasuna to 0-0 at home.

Novak Djokovic was beaten 7-6 (6), 6-3 by big-serving Reilly Opelka in the Brisbane International quarterfinals on Friday.

The 37-year-old Djokovic was playing his first tournament of the year. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is preparing for the Australian Open, which starts on Jan. 12 and which he has won 10 times.

“Amazing tennis, Reilly. Absolutely deserved,” Djokovic wrote on Instagram.

Opelka served 16 aces — including one to finish off each set — to earn one of the biggest wins of the American’s career.

“I was just focused on my spots,” Opelka said. “If I hit them, it’s hard to get them back. If there’s anyone that can, it’s him, The AP reported.

“We have nothing to lose coming in against him. He’s the greatest player ever,” Opelka added. “So you end up playing more free and you take a lot more risk. If you play your normal level or even above a normal level, he’s going to win every time. So it’s tough in his position because he gets guys that are good players that they roll the dice. And on a on a day like this when a lot of things go my way that’s how it works out.”

New coach Andy Murray will join Djokovic in Melbourne.

Opelka achieved a career-high ranking of No. 17 in Feb. 2022 before undergoing hip surgery later that year to remove a benign tumor. He’s now No. 293.

“It was tough. A lot of uncertainty, a lot of doubt,” Opelka said.

In the semifinals, Opelka will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who beat Jakub Mensik 7-5, 7-6 (5). The other semifinal will feature Jiri Lehecka against Grigor Dimitrov.

Lehecka beat Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 6-4 and Dimitrov advanced when Jordan Thompson retired while Dimitrov was ahead 6-1, 2-1.

Real Madrid Held to High-scoring Draw at Rayo Vallecano in La Liga