Rayo Vallecano survival hopes suffer as Deportivo twice come from behind to draw

Rayo Vallecano remain in the Primera Division relegation zone after battling out a 2-2 draw at Deportivo La Coruna.Rayo, who would have moved out of the bottom three with victory, led twice in the first half through goals from Miku and Jozabed, the latter taking advantage of an error by Deportivo goalkeeper Manu.But Lucas and Faycal Fajr, with a superb effort just after the break, each struck equalisers and the hosts were unlucky not to take the lead themselves when Luis Alberto subsequently hit the post.Rayo are up a place to 18th, with the gap between them and 17th-placed Sporting Gijon - who have a game in hand - down to a point, while Deportivo remain ninth and are now winless in six league matches.The visitors were looking for successive victories after beating Celta Vigo to end their nine-game run without a league win, and went ahead in the eighth minute when Miku produced a close-range finish from Quini's cross.Deportivo responded with Luis Alberto bringing a save out of Juan Carlos, then feeding a pass in the 19th minute to the unmarked Lucas, who kept his composure to slot in his 14th league goal of the season.Four minutes later Rayo's lead was restored as Manu - making his first league appearance for Deportivo in the absence of the suspended German Lux - inadvertently gave the ball straight to Miku, who squared to Jozabed for an easy tap-in.Deportivo again looked to reply swiftly, and Fajr should have done better in the 35th minute as he sent a shot bobbling wide from Lucas' tee-up.The hosts applied considerable pressure from the word go at the start of the second half and only a minute in, moments after Juan Carlos had batted away a Cani strike, the goalkeeper was beaten by a wonderful, looping Fajr strike from outside the box.A flurry of Deportivo attempts then saw Lucas shoot wide and Luis Alberto fire against the upright before sending another effort the wrong side of the post.The tempo was not sustained, but Luis Alberto did get another chance late on which he volleyed off-target.