The bottom and second from bottom faced each other in a match in which the need for both teams to score was maximum. Manolo, who had it in his power to get out of the descent, and Baraja had to avoid causing a debacle so as not to fall on the exit ramp. With a very poor 10 points, the name of Quique Sánchez Flores on the table and after a pre-match press conference in which everything was discussed except the visit to Espanyol, Valencia arrived mired in a crisis that Lim’s management has turned into something usual for Che fans.
Manolo González lined up the pivot Canadian Justin Smith to cover the loss of the suspended Pol Lozano. For its part, Valencia had the significant losses of Mamardashvili and Gayà. In addition, yesterday it was learned that Rafa Mir suffers from an injury that will prevent him from playing the remaining games in 2024.
As is typical in games where there is a lot at stake, both teams came out afraid of making mistakes. The possessions were short and the opening minutes were a score which was not stopped until the 20th minute, when Puado hit the crossbar with a ball he received from Cheddira inside the area. Over time, the game became blue and white. Just five minutes later, Javi Puado once again had a very clear chance in his boots with a header to a center from Oliván that the parakeet ‘7’ missed.
After forgiving two opportunities goal displays, Manolo González’s men almost saw how their rival, without having generated much, almost scored the chances that they could not. Fran Pérez crossed with a thread for Diego López, who reached the far post with a great advantage, but the shot also found the crossbar.
When the nerves They dissipated and Espanyol began to see nothing more on the horizon than trying to get the three points, their danger increased and the goal was a matter of time. In the 40th minute, Puado made his third mistake in a one-on-one that Dimitrievski blocked. But just before half-time, Antoniu Roca cut inside and put the ball in that would become the final goal for Espanyol and for Puado, who headed the ball to the side so that the Valencian goalkeeper could do nothing.
The party was set up in a frenzy which almost led to a tie before the break. Dani Gómez had it against Joan García in another face-to-face, but the parakeet goalkeeper made a save and prevented that lethal chance from crossing the goal line.
In the second act, Espanyol did not come out with the required concentration. In the first playTarrega assisted Diego López to put it very close to the post and tie the match.
Neither team was now free from the “back and forth” to which the match was doomed. In the 50th minute Puado leaked a ball that left Cheddira alone in front of Dimitrievski. The Macedonian goalkeeper knocked down the Espanyol forward and González Fuertes awarded a penalty that was ultimately not taken because Cheddira had started in an illegal position.
And when Espanyol was determined to get ahead again, Valencia took the opportunity to mount a counterattack that came close to becoming one-two. Dani Gomez received in the area by Fran Pérez, but the former Espanyol forward finished very poorly.
The script of the game changed and most of the game from the 65th minute onwards took place on parrot territory. Valencia grew with the tie and forced Espanyol to base their offensive plays on agile transitions.
And from those dusts come these sludges. While Tenés shot dangerously from long distances, the Espanyol he was hesitant to steal and was too afraid of missing shots and crosses.
And thus, Valencia could have sealed the match with five minutes remaining. Canós assisted Diego López who finished wonderfully but was offside. When it seemed that Cornellà was falling, there was still a minimum of hope. However, the constant inaccuracies of Manolo’s men extinguished that faith and ended up turning it into a desire to hear the final whistle. Dani Gómez scored another offside goal in the 95th minute and Cornellà sighed between despair and relief at having gotten a point in a match that Espanyol deserved to lose.
MATCH SHEET
Espanyol: Joan García, Omar, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Brian (82′ Aguado), Justin (72′ Bauza), Kral, Jofre, Roca (60′ Romero), Puado, Cheddira (60′ Cardona).
Valencia: Dimitrievski, Mosquera, Barrenechea (85′ Guillamón), Almeida, Tárrega (56′ Yarek), Diego López (85′ Córdoba), Dani Gómez, Pepelu (68′ Tenés), Foulquier, Luis Rioja, Fran Pérez (68′ Javi War).
Goals: 1-0 Puado (45′), 1-1 D.López (46′)
Arbitrator: González Fuertes (Asturian). He cautioned Omar (63′)
