MADRID: Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Tuesday after Radamel Falcao scored an injury-time equaliser against his former club with an emphatic strike from the penalty spot.

The result left Atletico in third place, two points behind Barcelona and five behind league leaders Real Madrid — who both have a game in hand — while Rayo remain in 10th.

Atletico’s hard pressing yielded the opening goal in the 20th minute when Antoine Griezmann pinched the ball in Rayo’s defensive third and found Alvaro Morata in the box for the Spaniard to tuck away his fifth goal of the season.

Falcao was often the focus of the visitors’ attack but the 36-year-old did not get clear-cut chances to score while Atletico loanee Sergio Camello also went close to scoring against his parent club with a shot that went just wide.

But Rayo received a lifeline in the 90th minute when the referee awarded them a penalty for Jose Gimenez’s handball following a quick VAR check.

Falcao, who scored 70 goals for Atletico between 2011-2013, stepped up and scored with aplomb and though the Colombian striker refused to celebrate, his team mates engulfed him as they came away from the Metropolitano with a precious point.

Elsewhere, Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Bil­bao, now sixth, were unable to pull themselves back into the top four as they drew 2-2 at Getafe.

Valencia captain Jose Gaya missed a late penalty amid a chaotic finale as Sevilla held the visitors to a 1-1 draw. The result leaves Sevilla provisionally 11th and Valencia in eighth.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2022