Match Report: Home loss to RCD Mallorca (1-2)

Valencia CF hosted RCD Mallorca on Saturday the 22nd of October at 6:30 pm kick-off time at Mestalla on Matchday 11 of LaLiga. 

Valencia CF had a slow start to the game and two minutes into the game Mouctar Diakhaby was subbed off through injury and Cenk Özkacar came on in his stead to make his debut at the heart of the Valencia CF backline.   

The first Valencia CF chance fell to Gabriel Paulista who got on the end of a Justin Kluivert delivery but the effort went straight into Rajkovic’s hands.  

Giorgi Mamardashvili managed to make amends by producing a magnificent stop to deny Kang In Lee after spilling the ball following a teasing cross in the 13th minute. 

 Valencia CF managed to settle into the game and dominate possession over the quarter-hour mark looking to break at every opportunity. 

Justin Kluivert made a solo run and delivered an inviting cross-shot that was cleared away by Raillo and then minutes later, Edinson Cavani tried an audacious backheel effort following a great pass from Samuel Lino. 

Valencia CF continued to pile pressure on the opposition penning them back inside their 18-yard box with relentless forays forward and a series of corner kicks over the half-hour mark in a one-way traffic spell from Valencia CF. 

André Almeida forced Rajkovic into a save with a powerful effort in the closing minutes of the first half. Valencia CF kept on turning the screws on the opposition looking for the opening goal with relentless waves of attacks. 

The first half finished scoreless between Valencia CF and RCD Mallorca.

The same script continued in the second half and persistence paid dividends just five minutes into the second half when Edinson Cavani spun from his marker and set Lino away on the break who made his way into the box and tried to dribble  past two defenders but it went down under the challenge of Maffeo.  

 The referee pointed to the spot Edinson Cavani stepped up and hit it straight down the middle sending the keeper the other way to score his four goals in three games and put Valencia CF in front. 

The opposition made it 1-1 from 12 yards and against the run of play in the same fashion as they were awarded a spot kick and Muriqui made it 1-1 to RCD Mallorca.  

Moments later, Giorgi Mamardashvili pulled off a brilliant stop to Galarreta's deflected effort to keep the scoreline at 1-1. 

Gennaro Gattuso made an attacking substitution André Almeida and Justin Kluivert made way for Hugo Duro and Marcos André.  

Edinson Cavani came mighty close to scoring with little over ten minutes of regulation time left to play at the far post but Rajkovic denied him. 

 Things took a turn for the worse when former Valencia CF man Kang In Lee made it 1-2 to Real Club Deportivo Mallorca.  

It was all hands on deck for Valencia CF from that monent on as they went all out in search of a late equaliser. They kept on pushing in an end-to-end final spell as Valencia CF fell to a 1- 2 home loss to RCD Mallorca. 

Valencia CF will welcome FC Barcelona on Saturday the 29th of October at 9 pm kick-off time at Mestalla on Matchday 12 of LaLiga.

Match Details: 

1. VALENCIA CF: Mamardashvili, Thierry R., Gabriel Paulista, Diakhaby (Cenk Özkacar, 4’), Gayà, Yunus Musah, Nico (Hugo Guillamón, 67’), André Almeida (Marcos André, 74’), Justin Kluivert (Hugo Duro, 74’), Samuel Lino and Cavani. 

2. RCD MALLORCA: Rajkovic, Maffeo, Valjent (Nastasic, 76’), Raíllo, Copete (Dani Rodríguez, 55’), Jaume Costa (Giovanni González, 79’), Battaglia (Diedhiou, 55’), Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Antonio Sánchez (Baba, 55’), Kang In and Muriqi. 

GOALS: 1-0 Cavani (p.), 52’; 1-1 Muriqi, 66’; 1-2 Kang In, 83’. 

REFEREE: Sánchez Martínez. Booked Battaglia, Muriqi, Gabriel Paulista, Yunus Musah, Iñigo Ruiz de Gallarreta and Hugo Guillamón. 

 OBSERVATIONS: Matchday 11 of LaLiga held at Mestalla.