La Liga: Luis Alberto stars as Deportivo get off the mark

Madrid: Luis Alberto set up one goal before scoring another as Deportivo La Coruna beat Rayo Vallecano 3-1 for their first win of the Spanish league season on Monday.

Alberto, who arrived on loan from Liverpool this season, crossed for Celso Borges to score with a header in the seventh minute at Rayo’s Vallecas Stadium.

Adrian Embara equalised just before the half-hour, when Patrick Ebert smartly let a pass run through to unsettle the defence and leave his teammate alone to beat Deportivo goalkeeper German Lux.

But Deportivo restored their lead for good seconds after the restart, when Alberto drove a low strike into the corner of the net following a bungle by two Rayo defenders, who clashed while trying to clear the ball.

Striker Lucas Perez proved a pest for Rayo’s defenders with his pressure and constant darting runs, one of which Pedro Mosquera met with a through ball for the former Rayo player to seal the victory just after the hour.

Rayo finished with 10 men after Ebert was sent off for a second booking for protesting in the 77th minute.

Deportivo’s win lifted the Galician side into seventh place on five points after three rounds. Rayo were left winless and in second-to-last place with one point.

“We needed to keep more possession, create more chances and just play our style,” said Embara. “We can only keep training and I am sure we will improve.”