Match Report: Home loss in final game of 2021 (1-2)

Valencia CF took on newly-promoted side Real Club Deportivo Espanyol on New Year’s Eve in the final home game of the calendar year at Mestalla at 4:15 pm kick-off time on Matchday 19 of LaLiga.

Valencia CF were off to a strong and setting out their stalls right from the off.  Daniel Wass got his shot away but the ball blazed over the crossbar. The game saw high tempo at both ends in the early goings of the game.

Hugo Duro came mighty close to opening the scoring following great Hélder Costa work down the wing as he got to the byline and delivered a teasing ball into the box. Hugo Duro rose highest, but his header came back off the base of the post.  

Valencia CF tried to hit Real Club Deportivo Espanyol on the break with a direct brand of football while the opposition enjoyed more possession halfway through the opening half at Mestalla.   

Valencia CF were put on the backfoot in the closing stages of the first half, but there was nothing to separate the sides at the interval.  

Valencia CF survived an early scare right after the restart as RCD Espanyol through Raúl de Tomás whose shot flew over the crossbar.

 Valencia CF responded at the other end though a Maxi Gómez effort which was turned behind for a corner kick by Diego López and then, the Urugayan was on the wrong end of a penalty call as he was brought down by Loren Morón, but the official waved away the appeal.

Omar Alderete finally broke the deadlock for Valencia CF on 51 minutes with a bullet of a header following a poor clearance and an inviting delivery from Hélder Costa a spearman down the wing.

Valencia CF struggled to earn a foothold despite being up front with Jasper Cillessen pulling off a reaction save on the hour mark to deny Embarba and keep the scoreline at 1-0 on the hour mark.

Valencia CF were forced into a substitution with Jesús Vázquez making way for Cristiano Piccini.

Late on things took a turn for the worse as Valencia CF were reduced to ten men when Hugo Duro was sent off for a double booking and Raúl de Tomás scored the resulting penalty.

Javi Puado made it 1-2 to RCD Espanyol five minutes later. Valencia CF refused to back down as Valencia CF youngster, Iranzo rattled the woodwork as Valencia CF were all hands on deck in the dying embers of the game.

The game ended in a home loss to RCD Espanyol by a 1-2 scoreline.

Valencia CF will be back in Copa del Rey action against FC Cartagena on the eve of Three Kings' Day at the Estadio Cartagonova at 7 pm kick-off time in the round of 32.   

Match Details:

1. VALENCIA CF: Cillessen, Thierry R. (Rubén Iranzo, 78’), Hugo Guillamón, Omar Alderete, Jesús Vázquez (Piccini 67’), Carlos Soler, Wass (Koba Leïn, 85’), Hélder Costa (Cheryshev, 84’), Hugo Duro, Guedes and Maxi Gómez.

2. RCD ESPANYOL: Diego López, Aleix Vidal (Jofre Carreras, 81’), Sergi Gómez, Leandro Cabrera, Adrià Pedrosa, Keidi Bare, Sergi Darder, Melamed (Óscar Gil, 71’), Embarba (Puado, 62’), Loren Morón (Landry Dimata, 71’) y Raúl de Tomás.

GOALS: 1-0 Omar Alderete, 51’; 1-1 Raúl de Tomás (p), 83’; 1-2 Puado, 88’.

REFEREE: Sánchez Martínez. Booked Thierry, Guedes, Melamed, Wass, Rubén Iranzo, Óscar Gil, Adrià Pedrosa and Cillessen. Sent off Hugo Duro for a double booking.

 OBSERVATIONS:

Matchday 19 of LaLiga played at Mestalla. A minute’s silence was observed before kick-off for the passing of Juan Alfonso Alabau, club’s season ticket holder number 30.