Valencia CF faced Girona FC on Sunday 14th of August at 7:30 pm kick-off time (CET) at Mestalla on Matchday 1 of LaLiga 2022-23 campaign in muggy weather conditions.

Valencia CF had a slow start to the game with Girona FC taking the initiative in the opening minutes. However, Valencia CF settled into the game over the ten-minute mark buoyed by the Mestalla crowd. 

Valencia CF started to enjoy more of the ball with an expansive possession football trying to open up the opposition defence. The opposition came mighty close to guiding the ball into their own net following a deflection off David López over the midway point of the first half.  

Carlos Soler forced Juan Carlos into a save from a direct free-kick from outside the box and minutes later, Yunus saw a close-range effort blocked away by Castellanos as the floodgates opened. 

Hugo Duro pounced on a defensive Girona FC let-off whilst bringing the ball out from the back he drifted upfield and tried his luck, but his effort blazed over the crossbar. 

Valencia CF were awarded a spot-kick on the stroke of halftime following a handball offence against Valery who hit the ball with his elbow off of a free-kick.  

Spot-kick specialist, Carlos Soler, stepped up and showcased huge calm and composure to dispatch the ball straight down the middle past Juan Carlos to put Valencia CF in front much to the delight of the Mestalla faithful. 

Samuel Lino came close to adding a second following a blistering driving run down the left. Alas, he failed to thread the ball into the onrushing Hugo Duro and the ball rolled across the face of the goal.   

Valencia CF edged Girona FC at half-time by a 1-0 scoreline at Mestalla.     

The away side came out in the second half looking to equalise, but Mestalla quirkily got behind the team just like they did throughout the opening period.  

Alas, things took a turn for the worse when Valencia CF were reduced to ten men when Eray Cömert was dismissed for a straight red car. 

The affair saw a feisty spell with a raft of incidents that took place which buoyed the players as the crowd continued to rally around the team in full voice.  

Samu Castillejo came close to doubling the advantage, but his effort went a whisker wide of the post just under the hour mark. 

The away side up the ante looking to equalise as Gattuso haded latest Valencia CF signing, Nico González, his LaLiga debut for Valencia CF in a triple substitution where Castillejo, Lino, and Vázquez made way for Lato, Maxi Gómez and Valencia CF’s latest recruit Nico Gónzález who also joined the rest of LaLiga debutants for Valencia CF in the manner of Lino, Castillejo.   

Nico González was thought to have scored a debut goal deep into stoppage time to seal Valencia CF’S win but his goal was disallowed. However, I did not matter as ten-man Valencia CF to pick up an all-important maiden LaLiga win in the home season opener against Girona FC at Mestalla.  

Valencia CF will take on Athletic Club on the road at the Estadio Nuevo San Mamés on Sunday the 21st of August at 5:30 pm kick-off on Matchday 2 of LaLiga and their first outing of the 2022-2023 season.  

1. VALENCIA CF: Mamardashvili, Thierry R., Diakhaby, Cömert, Jesús Vazquez (Lato, 72’), Yunus Musah, Hugo Guillamón, Carlos Soler (Foulquier, 62’), Samu Castillejo (Maxi Gómez, 72’), Samuel Lino (Nico, 72’) and Hugo Duro (Cristhian Mosquera, 52’).

0. GIRONA FC: Juan Carlos, Yan Couto (Arnau, 81’), Bueno, David López (Stuani, 62’), Juanpe, Valery Fernández (Miguel Gutiérrez, 62’), Aleix García, Terrats (Yangel Herrera, 73’), Riquelme, Samu Saiz (Ureña, 61’) and Taty Castellanos.

GOALS: 1-0 Carlos Soler, 45’.

REFEREE: Figueroa Vázquez (C. Andaluz).Yellow cards; Yan Couto, Samu Sáiz, Valery Fernández, Thierry Rendall, Gattuso, Jesús Vázquez. Red card; Cömert in the 51’.

VAR: González González (C. Castellano-Leonés).

 OBSERVATIONS: LaLiga Matchday 1 game played at Mestalla. Before kick-off, a respectful minute's silence was observed in memory of all those Valencia CF's club members who died last season.