10-man Real clinch fourth home win in row

Madrid, Feb 18 (AFP) Real Madrid recorded their fourth consecutive home league victory with a 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano, despite playing for 72 minutes with 10 men. Alvaro Morata and Sergio Ramos got the goals in the opening 12 minutes but Ramos' night took a turn for the worse just six minutes later when he saw two harsh yellow cards in quick succession. Despite their numerical advantage though Rayo failed to create too many clear-cut chances and their best effort was comically blocked by their own player as Leo Baptistao failed to evade Piti's driven shot towards goal. Before the game much had been made of the fact that Rayo's Piti and Leo had scored more league goals than Madrid's two leading strikers Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema. With Higuain suspended, Jose Mourinho choose to start Morata and leave Benzema on the bench. Three minutes in and the Portuguese was vindicated as Mesut Ozil's cut-back was turned in by the 20-year-old from close range. Kaka then fired wide with a good opening but Rayo should also have been level inside seven minutes as Chori Dominguez was played in by Roberto Trashorras after Pepe had given the ball away and the Argentine's shot whistled just past Diego Lopez's far post. Everything seemed to be going to plan for the hosts five minutes later though as Ramos outmuscled his marker to head home Ozil's free-kick. However, Ramos then saw two yellow cards in barely 30 seconds as he first brought down Trashorras and then was harshly dismissed when a cross from the left struck his trailing arm. Rayo almost took advantage straight away as Alejandro Galvez headed just over from the resulting free-kick. More (AFP) AT AT 02180932 NNNN