VALENCIA, Spain — Valencia C. F. hosted Rcd Espanyol Tuesday evening at Mestalla stadium. The LaLiga EA Sports match pitted two teams enjoying strong recent form against each other in a key mid-week contest.
Rain fell over the stadium before the match started. The pitch was wet. Referee Pulido Santana from the Canary Islands oversaw the game. Pizarro Gómez worked the VAR booth.
The first half began with both sides showing attacking intent. Play started quickly. Valencia looked to press high up the field early.
Espanyol created the first scoring chance. Carlos Romero struck a shot from the edge of the box. It went high over the crossbar.
Valencia responded with their own opportunity. César Tárrega pushed forward from the back line. The defender broke through multiple opponents. He found Gayà. Gayà sent a cross toward goal. Enzo Barrenechea took a shot. It sailed high, missing the target.
Midway through the first half, possession favored Valencia. However, Espanyol’s tactical structure held firm. Coach Manolo González set up his team well. Tárrega's controlled runs helped Valencia find space against the defense.
Espanyol has won their last three LaLiga matches. They recorded clean sheets in all three victories. This strong run includes impressive away wins. They secured a 0-4 result in Vallecas and a 0-2 victory in Vigo. Goalkeeper Joan García has drawn attention for his recent performances.
Valencia enters the match on an unbeaten streak. They have not lost in their last seven league games. This run includes four wins and three draws. This followed a 0-3 defeat in February.
Both teams sit level on points before this game. They are both looking to put distance between themselves and the relegation zone. The winner could potentially start looking toward the upper half of the table.
Matches between these two clubs have often ended in draws recently. Their meeting earlier this season finished 1-1. The three previous encounters also resulted in ties. The last time a team won was Espanyol on Dec. 31, 2021.
