Match Report: VCF draw in Vitoria (1-1)

Valencia CF visited Club Deportivo Alaves on Friday Night Football on the 6th of March at 9 pm kick-off time at Mendizorrotza on Matchday 27 of LaLiga Santander looking to end their hoodoo on the road.

Valencia CF had a tentative start to the game knocking the ball around trying to open up the opposition defence when on the ball and putting pressure on the ball carrier off it in the first minutes of the match.  

The first chance for Valencia CF came in the 20th-minute mark following a quick exchange around the box which Daniel Parejo caught on the volley outside the box but the ball went off target.  

Denis Cheryshev came mighty close to making it 0-1 on a one on one situation but he clattered into Pacheco as he was about to chip it on the end of it halfway through the first half. And then Cheryshev, who turned provider to deliver an inviting cross into the box however neither Carlos Soler nor Kevin Gameiro could not get on the end of it.

It was Dani Parejo who replicated his goal in the reverse fixture with another pearl of a free-kick into the top left corner from a tight angle to give Valencia CF the lead over the half-hour mark.

The game opened up and Valencia CF looked more comfortable dominating in possession while trying to double their lead before the Intermission. Valencia CF edged Deportivo Alavés with Dani Parejo’s free-kick rocket separating the sides at half-time.    

Valencia CF were put on the backfoot at the restart with Deportivo Alaves looking to get back on level terms taking the initiative. Jose Luis Gayà put an all-important block in early in the second half.

Valencia CF had their first second-half chance with a quick collective move that saw Gameiro ghosting in between the Deportivo Alavés defense he rolled it into Denis Cheryshev who set up Florezi who blasted into the side netting.

Albert Celades shuffled his pack with two substitutions over the hour mark with Alessandro Florenzi coming off for Francis Coquelin and Kevin Gameiro making way for Gonçalo Guedes for Valencia CF.

Momentum and chances swung in the hosts favour Edgar Méndez made it 1-1 to Deportivo Alavés with 15 minutes left to be played. The game saw an incident-packed spell with Gonçalo Guedes and Ljubomir Fejsa having to receive treatment.

Jasper Cillessen denied Deportivo Alavés the winner in the closing minutes of the game as both sides tried to score the winning goal. However, the away curse continued as the game finished 1-1.

Valencia CF will return to Champions League football on Tuesday the 10th of March at Mestalla at 9 pm kick-off time looking to cut a three-goal deficit from the first leg behind closed doors over COVID-19 concerns.

Match Details:

1. Valencia CF: Cillessen, Florenzi (Coquelin, m. 64), G. Paulista, Diakhaby, Gayá, Wass, Kondogbia, Parejo, Carlos Soler, Cheryshev (Rodrigo, m. 82) and Gameiro (Guedes, m. 72) .

Goals: 0-1. M. 34: Parejo. 1-1. M. 72: Edgar.

Referee: Gil Manzano. He booked Lucas Pérez, Ximo Navarro, Ely, Joselu and Edgar for Deportivo Alavés, and Kondogbia, Gayà, Diakhaby, Celades and Javi Miñano for Valencia CF.

Observations: Matchday 27of LaLiga, played this Friday at 9 pm at Mendizorroza with rain showers through the game.