Match Report: stoppage-time goals down the Yellow Submarine in UEL regional derby (1-3)

Valencia CF made a short trip to Villarreal CF for the quarterfinals first leg of the UEFA Europa League at 9 pm kick-off time in an all-Spanish tie a regional derby at the Estadio de La Ceramica.

 Valencia CF had a dream start to the game and the tie when Portuguese winger made his way into the box cut inside on to his right foot and was brought down by Santi Cáseres. The referee pointed to the spot. Dani Parejo stepped up, the Villarreal keeper saved it but Guedes was first to it and slotted it away to give Valencia CF the breakthrough six minutes into the first half.

 Rodrigo Moreno played a lovely reverse pass into Kevin Gameiro who blasted it over on the 15-minute mark. The home side, however, settled into the game and had a flurry of chances and were given a penalty which was converted by Santi Cazorla to cancel out Guedes’early opener. 

The home side worked Neto Murara in the closing stages of the first half with two chances but Neto was equal to them. The first half finished 1-1 a penalty apiece with nothing to separate the sides at half-time in the all-Spanish tie regional derby.

 The second half started where it left off the home side pressing and pushing to take the advantage in the game and Valencia CF having to work hard in defence. For large parts of the second half.

Valencia CF enjoyed some brilliant second-half chances in the closing stages of the game through Goçalo Guedes and Rodrigo Moreno who came close to re-taking the lead with a tap-in but the  Villarreal keeper was alert to keep it out.

 There were two late happy twist thanks to two late goals in dramatic fashion one from Daniel Wass who drilled it home with a curling effort on his weaker foot from inside the box and Gonçalo Guedes killed it off in the dying embers by finishing off a devastating counter-attack.

Valencia CF will welcome cross-town opposition Levante UD at Mestalla in the Valencia derby on Sunday the 14th of April at 8.45 pm kick-off time on matchday 32. 

Match Details:

1. Villarreal CF: Andrés Fernández, Mario Gaspar (Pedraza, m.79), Álvaro, Víctor Ruiz, Quintillà, Cáseres (Morlanes, m.72), Iborra (Bacca, m.67), Pablo Fornals, Santi Cazorla, Chukwueze and Gerard Moreno.

3. Valencia CF: Neto, Roncaglia (Piccini, 58), Garay, G. Paulista, Gayà, Parejo, Wass, Ferran (Coquelin, 60), Guedes, Gameiro (Cheryshev, 68) and Rodrigo M .

Goals: 0-1. M. 6: Guedes. 1-1. M. 36: Santi Cazorla. 1-2. M. 90: Wass. 1-3. M. 93: Guedes.

Referee: Michael Oliver (England). He booked Santi Cazorla, Álvaro and Quintillà for Villarreal CF, and Gayà for Valencia CF.

Observations:  First leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, played on Thursday at 9:00 pm at the Ceramica Stadium,  before 1,500 Valencia CF fans on the night. The majority shareholder of Valencia CF, Peter Lim, did not want to miss this important European clash.