La Liga Watches Valencia Climbing Up
By Cindy Ferguson
In one more Spanish football chapter, Valencia CF faced up RCD Espanyol in an encounter where none of the teams shown frighten to its rival. At the beginning of the game Valencia managed to keep the control until Espanyol achieved the first score. From that moment on, the Catalan team maintained its game rhythm, stopping the hard attacks from ‘Los Che’ that were trying to tied or exceed the scores of the match that at the time was 1-0.
As the encounter kept going on, the action intensify with a not worrying Espanyol that far from losing control turned more courageous every time its rival started a treacherous move. Although the Valencian’ footballers kept directing the ball with good plays and fast moves, they did not had much chances to went closer to the Catalan box, that was being well protected by Carlos Kameni. The Brazilian Nené was also in charge of holding back the Valencians away from his team’s goal-frame, with strong advances through the opponents’ left touchline. These were the main methods used by the club from Barcelona to defend during the first part of the encounter.
The match continued that way until minute 28, when the players from Mestalla were left disorientated with an unexpected move that brought the first goal of the match that favored the RCD Español, thanks to a ball that scaped from David Albelda and went straight to Román Martínez’ feet, who fired up to the net in charge of Renan Brito. Near the end of the first half, the locals from Valencia took advantage of the suspension of Francisco Javier Rufete (sent out for yellow cards accumulation) looking for a failed tie.
For the second half of the clash the situation became a little complicated for the “Pericos”, that had to play with a man less. To confront the situation the coach José Manuel Esnal had to modify the game strategy, placing Luis García in Rufete’s position, leaving ‘Juanmi’ Callejón working on his on as forward.
Espanyol was really affected and Valencia saw the opportunity to occupy the contraries’ area with tough and profound assaults that gave place to a goal from Raúl Albiol, who tied the scoreboard 1-1. Subsequently Valencia’s trainer, Unai Emery, made some alterations on his alignment giving David Silva, who seamed well recover from his injuries, the chance get in the field and replace Joaquín Sánchez. Those changes came with the objective of scoring a second goal for the “Ches”, who insistently tried, front to an Espanyol that was also in search for a second.
Within 15 minutes to concluding the game, Espanyol could not do anything else but to defend itself from the imposition of the Valencian, which resulted in another score from the hosts, following a great hit from Vicente Fernández that drove the sphere to the “Periquitos”.
This victory locates Valencia in second position on the general point standings of the Spanish League with 30 points and pulls them higher and closer to the reigning Barcelona that still leads the table with 38 points.
About the Author
Cindy Ferguson is a high-ranking sports writer, currently writing reviews on European Football for the sports betting industry. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.