Match Report: Valencia CF end preseason with Trofeu Taronja win (3-2)

Valencia CF hosted Eintracht Frankfurt at the Trofeu Taronja on Saturday, 10th of August, at 9 p.m. (CET) at Mestalla, in their curtain-raiser before their season opener next Saturday.

Valencia CF got off to a perfect start when Rafa Mir tore away on the break and slotted the ball beyond Kevin Trapp, netting his first preseason goal and marking his homecoming debut in front of the Mestalla faithful.

Valencia CF got off to a perfect start when Rafa Mir tore away on the break and slotted the ball beyond Kevin Trapp, netting his first preseason goal and marking his homecoming debut in front of the Mestalla faithful.

Alas, the joy was short-lived when Eintracht Frankfurt cancelled out Rafa Mir's opener from twelve yards out, with Omar Marmoush converting the resulting spot-kick inside seven minutes.

Hugo Duro rose highest to meet Thierry Correia's pinpoint delivery, heading Valencia CF back in front at the quarter-hour mark.

Valencia CF were awarded a spot-kick halfway through the first half when Hugo Duro was clipped and felled inside the box.

Up stepped Pepelu, Valencia CF's designated penalty taker, but he failed to convert the penalty at the half-hour mark. The game continued to deliver an end-to-end entertaining curtain-raiser.

Valencia CF edged Eintracht Frankfurt at the break, leading 2-1.

Rubén Baraja made a halftime substitution in goal, bringing on Stole Dimitrievski for the second half, handing him his Mestalla debut.

The second half had a frantic start, with Valencia CF looking to take charge of proceedings by dictating possession. Gradually, the tempo fell off.

Valencia CF enjoyed their fair share of chances through Rafa Mir and Hugo Duro, while defending resolutely to keep Eintracht Frankfurt at bay. Stole Dimitrievski denied Matanovich on the hour mark.

Shortly after, Rubén Baraja made wholesale changes, with Javi Guerra, Rubén Iranzo, and David Otorbi coming on for Hugo Guillamón, Thierry, and Rubén Iranzo.

Parity was restored when Junior Dina Ebimbe made it two apiece for Eintracht Frankfurt in the latter stages of the second half.

Alberto Marí put Valencia CF back in front after pouncing on an Eintracht Frankfurt mistake at the back, sealing Valencia CF's first preseason win in a curtain-raiser that saw a five-goal thriller.

Valencia CF will welcome FC Barcelona in their opening game of their 24-25 LaLiga season on Saturday, August 17th at 9 pm kick-off at Mestalla.

3. VALENCIA CF: Mamardashvili (Dimitrievski, 46’), Thierry R. (Rubo, 61’), Yarek Gasiorowski (Iker Córdoba, 74’), Tárrega, Jesús Vázquez, Pepelu, Hugo Guillamón (Javi Guerra, 61’), Martín Tejón (Otorbi, 61’), André Almeida (Ali Fadal, 74’), Rafa Mir (Dani Gómez, 74’) y Hugo Duro (Hugo González, 74’).

2. EINTRACHT FRANKFURT: Trapp, Koch (Collins, 61’), Marmoush, Chaibi (Eikitiké, 46’), Matanovic (Uzun, 61’), Kristensen, Skhiri (Hojlund, 74’), Brown (Nkounkou, 46’), Dina Ebimbe (Buta, 74’), Götze (Larsson, 61’), Tuta (Amenda, 74’).

GOALS: 1-0 Rafa Mir, 3’; 1-1 Marmoush, 6’; 2-1 Hugo Duro, 15’; 2-2 Ebimbe, 72’; 3-2 Alberto Marí, 87’.

REFEREE: Sánchez Martínez.