Almería's frantic offensive, on the contrary, gave Rayo Vallecano a chance to breathe.
Although the three-forward formation had strong attacking power, the defense also exposed more gaps.
Lu Chuan keenly caught this change. He used Full Field Vision to observe the situation on the field, looking for opportunities to counterattack.
In the 78th minute, Núñez's powerful shot in the penalty area was bravely saved by Dimitrievski.
The ball rebounded to the edge of the penalty area, and Comesaña was the first to control possession.
"Counterattack!" Lu Chuan shouted loudly, while simultaneously initiating a high-speed sprint.
Comesaña understood, and a long pass found Lu Chuan in the front field.
The ball drew a perfect arc in the air, accurately landing on Lu Chuan's running path.
Almería's center-back Nikola Maraš desperately chased back, but Lu Chuan's speed advantage was too obvious.
Perpetual Motion allowed him to maintain astonishing explosive power even in the latter half of the game.
"Lu Chuan! One-on-one opportunity!" The commentator's voice instantly rose by an octave.
The moment he broke into the penalty area, goalkeeper Fernando Martín decisively charged out. The two formed a one-on-one duel in the penalty area.
Lu Chuan did not panic. Big Heart allowed him to remain absolutely calm at critical moments.
He observed the goalkeeper's position and direction of movement, rapidly calculating the best shooting angle in his mind.
Martín spread his arms, attempting to block Lu Chuan's shooting path. But Lu Chuan suddenly decelerated, sending the ball towards the far corner of the goal with a delicate chip shot.
The ball rolled along the grass. Although Martín judged the direction correctly, he was out of reach.
Goal!
"GOOOOOAL!" The commentator shouted frantically, "Lu Chuan! In the 65th minute! Away goal! Rayo Vallecano leads 1-0!"
The Rayo Vallecano bench at Vallecas Stadium instantly erupted. Paco Jémez excitedly waved his fists, and the Assistant Coaches tightly embraced each other.
But Lu Chuan did not celebrate excessively. He quickly scooped the ball out of the goal and ran towards the center circle, holding it in his arms.
"Concentrate!" He shouted loudly to his teammates, "The game isn't over yet! Maintain your defense!"
The effect of Aura of Leadership made this calm action have a huge impact. His teammates quickly returned to their respective positions, not getting carried away by the goal.
"Scoring in 17 consecutive League matches!" The commentator's voice was filled with shock, "Lu Chuan, with a golden away goal, has given the team hope of getting points! This is a true captain!"
In the stands, Esther was watching the live broadcast of the match on her phone. The moment Lu Chuan scored, she was so excited she almost jumped out of her chair.
"Amazing!" She cheered for Lu Chuan in her heart, her eyes sparkling with pride.
But Almería was not broken by this conceded goal. As a strong contender for promotion, they possessed strong mental fortitude and technical ability.
Silva loudly directed his players from the sidelines, urging them to intensify their attack. Núñez, in particular, was seething, wanting to respond to Lu Chuan's provocation with a goal.
In the 70th minute, the opportunity came.
José Carlos Lazo took the ball in midfield; his vision and passing ability were equally outstanding.
Seeing Núñez's run in the front field, Lazo decisively delivered a precise through ball.
The ball pierced through Rayo Vallecano's defense, and Núñez understood, initiating his run. His acceleration was astonishingly fast, instantly shaking off the defending player beside him.
The young Pascual desperately chased back, but Núñez's physical advantage was too obvious. On the edge of the penalty area, the two engaged in a fierce physical confrontation.
Núñez used his strong body to forcefully push past Pascual, breaking into the penalty area.
Facing the charging Dimitrievski, he did not hesitate at all, lifting his foot for a powerful shot.
The ball was powerful and went straight for the top right corner of the goal. Although Dimitrievski made a save attempt, he was powerless to prevent the ball from entering the net.
1-1!
"Núñez!" The commentator's voice was filled with awe, "This is the strength of a world-class striker! He equalized the score with pure individual ability!"
Núñez did not celebrate excessively after scoring, merely giving Lu Chuan a calm glance.
In that look, there was both respect for his opponent and a desire for victory.
Lu Chuan gritted his teeth. This conceded goal exposed the team's defensive weakness.
Although Pascual tried hard, the gap in experience and individual ability was still too obvious when facing a world-class striker.
"It's okay!" Lu Chuan ran to Pascual, patting his shoulder, "You've done very well. Keep your focus!"
Aura of Leadership made this comfort have a miraculous effect. The frustration in Pascual's eyes disappeared, replaced by rekindled fighting spirit.
The game restarted, with both sides looking for a winning opportunity. The match became more open, and the rhythm of attack and defense transitions became faster and faster.
In the 75th minute, Lu Chuan's header in the penalty area was saved by Martín.
In the 78th minute, Núñez's long-range shot grazed the post and went wide.
The duel between the two top strikers made the game exciting, but it also kept both sides on edge.
In the 83rd minute, Rayo Vallecano won a corner kick. This was an excellent opportunity for them to regain the lead.
Trejo took the corner, and the ball flew into the penalty area. Lu Chuan leaped high, attempting a header, but the opposing defender cleared it first.
The ball flew out of the penalty area, landing at the feet of an Almería midfielder.
Danger loomed.
After Lazo controlled possession, he quickly observed the situation in the front field. Núñez had already started his long-distance sprint.
"Counterattack!" Silva shouted loudly from the sidelines.
Lazo sent a long pass, delivering the ball to Núñez's feet.
At this moment, Núñez was still 60 meters from Rayo Vallecano's goal, but his eyes were already burning with the gaze of a predator.
Comesaña desperately chased back, and Savić also covered from the side. But Núñez's speed was too fast; they simply couldn't keep up.
"Núñez! Long-distance sprint!" The commentator's voice was tense, "60 meters! Can he go all the way?"
Núñez, of course, could go all the way. His stamina and speed were world-class, and such a long-distance sprint was not difficult for him.
What was even more terrifying was that he could maintain perfect control of the ball even while running at high speed. The ball seemed to stick to his feet, every touch just right.
Comesaña attempted to intercept near midfield but was easily bypassed by Núñez.
Savić made the final interception at the edge of the penalty area, but was also dribbled past by Núñez's change of direction.
In the blink of an eye, Núñez had already reached the edge of the penalty area. Dimitrievski decisively charged out, attempting to narrow the shooting angle.
But just when everyone thought Núñez would choose to shoot, he made an unexpected decision.
Inside the penalty area, Núñez suddenly passed the ball horizontally!
Fran Villalba had caught up at some point, appearing in a completely unmarked position in front of the goal.
"Pass!" The commentator's voice instantly turned to despair, "Núñez chose to pass! Villalba faces an open goal!"
Villalba did not waste this opportunity. Facing an open goal, he easily tapped the ball in.
2-1!
Almería completed the comeback!
Vallecas Stadium fell into a deathly silence. The players on the bench slumped in their chairs, their eyes filled with despair.
Lu Chuan knelt on the grass, sighing towards the sky. He had given his all, but football was just that cruel.
Individual effort, in the face of team strength, sometimes seemed so powerless.
Núñez walked to Lu Chuan, extending his hand to help him up.
"You played very well," Núñez's eyes were full of respect, "but tonight is our night."
Lu Chuan shook Núñez's hand and nodded. Although he lost the game, he had great respect for this world-class striker.
Only a few minutes remained in the match, but Rayo Vallecano found it difficult to create a miracle. Almería began to control the tempo and solidify their defense.
In the 89th minute, Lu Chuan's last shot in the penalty area was saved by Martín.
In the 92nd minute, Trejo's long-range shot went over the crossbar.
The final whistle blew, and the score was settled at 2-1. Rayo Vallecano lost away from home, suffering their fourth consecutive defeat.
In the locker room, the atmosphere dropped to freezing point. The players sat dejectedly in their respective positions; no one spoke.
Four consecutive defeats, this number weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
In the League standings, they had been caught by Elche behind them, only ranking sixth by goal difference.
Their playoff qualification was hanging by a thread.
Lu Chuan sat in the corner, replaying every detail of the match in his mind. His individual performance was impeccable, and his record of scoring in 17 consecutive matches continued.
But what was the point? The team was losing consecutively, and his scoring record seemed so pale and powerless.
"Captain," Pascual walked over to him, his eyes full of guilt, "I'm sorry, I couldn't defend against Núñez."
Lu Chuan looked up at his young teammate. Pascual had given his all, and his performance against a world-class striker had exceeded expectations.
"It's not your fault," Lu Chuan patted Pascual's shoulder, "Núñez is a world-class player, and it's already amazing to compete with him."
Other teammates also gathered around. Although they lost the game, Lu Chuan's performance as captain earned everyone's respect.
"We still have a chance," Trejo's voice was a little hoarse, "In the last two matches, we still have a chance."
Lu Chuan nodded. Although the situation was grim, they were not completely out of it. As long as they could get enough points in the last two rounds, there was still hope of entering the playoffs.
His phone vibrated; Esther sent a message: "You've done very well. I'll make your favorite dish when you get home."
Seeing this message, a warm current surged through Lu Chuan's heart. No matter how turbulent the outside world was, at least one person always supported him.
"Let's go," Lu Chuan stood up, "Back to Madrid."
His teammates silently followed him out of the locker room. Although they lost the game, their captain still held his head high, which gave them the courage to continue fighting.
On the bus, Lu Chuan looked at the night scenery outside the window. Almería's lights gradually faded, and the direction of Madrid was still ahead.
Four consecutive defeats, this was the most difficult moment of his professional career. But he knew that the real test had only just begun.
The last two matches would decide Rayo Vallecano's fate this season. And as captain, he had to lead the team out of this predicament.
His phone vibrated again; this time it was the system's notification sound.
"Ding! Match ended, data being compiled..."
"Match rating: 8.5 points"
"LP obtained: 50 (defeat) + 100 (goal) + 50 (captain's performance) = 200LP"
"Current LP balance: 300+200 = 500LP"
Lu Chuan looked at the system panel, his mood complex. His individual data was still excellent, but the team's defeat made these numbers meaningless.
What he needed was not individual glory, but team victory.
"Next match," Lu Chuan murmured to himself, "We must win the next match."
The bus drove through the night, carrying this bruised but unyielding team towards an unknown fate.