La Liga: Vallecano beat Almeria 2-0 and look sure to stay up

Rayo Vallecano beat Almeria 2-0 with goals in either half to all but secure Primera Division survival for a fourth consecutive season.

Antonio Amaya headed the hosts in front midway through the first half and then substitute Miku settled the match by tapping home in the last minute.

The Vallecas club move on to 41 points for the season after the win, 13 above the relegation zone, and can now focus on trying to catch Malaga in the final European spot, on 46 points.

Almeria meanwhile were brought back down to earth after beating Granada 3-0 last week and they are still deep in trouble with six games remaining.

Rayo went into this match at the Estadio de Vallecas looking to compensate for their humiliating 6-2 defeat at Celta Vigo a week earlier and made a strong start here.

Roberto Trashorras forced former Rayo stopper Ruben Martinez into a save and Gael Kakuta should have taken advantage of the rebound but his shot was too weak and Ruben saved again.

But Paco Jemez's side did take the lead soon enough. Centre-back Ze Castro appeared on the right following a corner and swung the ball towards the back post for Amaya to direct a powerful header bouncing past Ruben.

At the other end Arsenal loanee Wellington Silva tried his luck from long range, forcing Rayo's stand-in goalkeeper Tono to push the ball over the bar. Both sides then had penalty appeals turned down before the break, with Thievy Bifouma claiming he was fouled for Almeria, while Rayo winger Adrian Embarba saw his appeal for a foul by Ximo Navarro waved away.

Almeria had a much stronger claim for a penalty early in the second half when Sebastian Dubarbier was brought down in the area but again the visitors appeals fell on deaf ears, as they did a few minutes later when Thievy again went down in the box. The Congolese international then came close to scoring from open play, but his powerful shot was turned away by Tono.

Rayo eventually recovered from their slow start to the second half and Ruben had to react quickly to deny Embarba, and a few minutes later it was Rayo who were appealing for a penalty, with Dubarbier appearing to block a shot from Albert Bueno with his hand.

Rayo striker Manucho could have put the game to bed on two occasions as Almeria left themselves exposed on the counterattack but squandered both chances, but Rayo got a late second goal when Miku turned in Kakuta's cross from a couple of yards out.