Barça 3-1 Rayo: Set pieces produce the goals

League leaders Barça have maintained their winning form by beating the only team to have taken points off them this season, Rayo Vallecano, the ideal start to the home schedule in 2020 came thanks to goals from Patri Guijarro and Jennifer Hermoso (2).

League leaders Barça have maintained their winning form by beating the only team to have taken points off them this season, Rayo Vallecano, the ideal start to the home schedule in 2020 came thanks to goals from Patri Guijarro and Jennifer Hermoso (2).

In a very different game to the comfortable win against Tacón last week, Barça had to find their A-game against a solid Rayo outfit, with Tajonar covering for the injured Sandra Paños in goal.

It was from dead ball situations that things started working after several failed attempts to break the deadlock, with Guijarro’s 24^th minute goal coming from a corner. Moments later birthday girl Aitana Bonmatí provoked another corner, and Oshoala very nearly converted before Hermoso was there to slam in goal number two.

After Rayo hat hit the crossbar, the third had to wait until the second half, when a Melanie assist was nicely controlled and finished off by Hermoso, her 18^th goal of the campaign.

Rayo kept battling and were deserving of the consolation goal when it finally came from the boot of Sheila.

Barça are provisionally ten points clear at the top, depending on how Atlético Madrid get on against Sevilla on Sunday… with the top two sides meeting in a crunch encounter next weekend.

MATCH STATS

Barça: Tajonar, María León, Melanie, J. Hermoso (Van der Gragt, min 89), Marta (Crnogorčević, min 75), Hamraoui, Alexia, Patri, Aitana (Mariona, min 64), Oshoala, Martens (Candela, min 86).
Rayo: Larqué, Guerrero, Pilar García, Andújar, Sheila, Oviedo, Chule (Paula, min 79), Auñón, Bulatovic, Eva Alonso, De Guereñu (Ángeles, min 72).
Goals: 1-0, Patri (min 24); 2-0, J. Hermoso (min 26); 3-0, J. Hermoso (min 61); 3-1, Sheila (min 62).
Attendance: 2,428 at Estadi Johan Cruyff.