Valencia overcame the goal they scored at the end of the first half and that, in this Valencia that is accustomed to succumbing as soon as games get complicated, is news. The bottom player is still at the bottom of the standings, but, at least, beyond the point he adds, he experienced a night where his football, especially in the second half, was more than decent and he had his chances of achieving victory against Espanyol who got stuck when he saw his rival’s reaction.
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Joan García, Omar El Hilali, Leandro Cabrera, Brian Oliván (Álvaro Aguado, min. 81), Marash Kumbulla, Antoniu Roca (Carlos Romero, min. 60), Jofre Carreras, Justin Smith (Rafael Bauza, min. 70), Alex Král, Javi Puado and Walid Cheddira (Irvin Cardona, min. 60)
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Stole Dimitrievski, Dimitri Foulquier, Cristhian Mosquera, Luis Rioja, César Tárrega (Yarek Gasiorowski, min. 56), Diego López (Iker Córdoba, min. 84), Pepelu (Javi Guerra, min. 67), André Almeida, Fran Pérez ( Sergi Canós, min. 67), Enzo Barrenechea (Hugo Guillamón, min. 84) and Dani Gómez
Goals
1-0 min. 43: Javi Puado. 1-1 min. 46: Diego Lopez
Referee Pablo González Fuertes
yellow cards
Omar (min. 62)
The team from , seemed during the first 45 minutes like that prudish team that every game suffers a blackout of its centers that allows its opponent to end up scoring. That happened at the end of the first half. Espanyol, faithful to its direct style, to its exaggeratedly vertical football, scored thanks to Puado. The forward, the man who had the most chances in the first 45 minutes, took advantage of the last one with a good header when the Valencia centre-backs allowed the ball to reach him after a great cross from Antoniu Roca from the right wing.
Valencia, which began with serious problems in reaching the area, giving a feeling of fragility, with a defensive fabric that seems like glass, woke up in the second half after a first stretch in which they had two clear chances to score. Baraja left his top scorer from last season, Hugo Duro, on the bench and placed Dani López up front. On the wings, Fran Pérez and Diego López, decisive in the tying play, which the left winger achieved shortly after the restart.
That much changed everything. Espanyol became a confused team, which did not know how to sink its teeth into the bottom player. Valencia, on the other hand, grew to see that, finally, well into December – although in a -, they were able to play with intention and make Joan García uncomfortable, who saw his goal in danger throughout the second half.
Baraja’s team gave a feeling of danger. His players had found a way to reach the blue and white goal and on two occasions they celebrated a goal that immediately ruined the assistant’s raised flag.
In the other match played yesterday in LaLiga, this one on matchday 12, Villarreal and Rayo Vallecano also tied at one goal, in a match that the locals played with ten after Kambwala was sent off in the first half.
