Match Report: Valencia CF return to winning ways away at Granada CF (0-1)

Valencia CF visited Granada CF on Thursday, April 4th at the Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes on Matchday 26 of LaLiga EA Sports for their game in hand which was postponed due to the tragic fire in the Campanar neighbourhood.

Valencia CF had a positive start to the game by dictating possession, dictating play and taking the game to the opposition in the early goings of the first half. Alas, the first chance of the game fell to the opposition through Mirto Uzuni who forced Giorgi Mamardashvili into a superb stop over the ten-minute mark.

The opposition upped the tempo and started dominating halfway through the first half, Giorgi Mamardashvili produced heroics between the sticks yet again to deny Pellistri with a fine save to keep the scoreline locked together at 0-0.

The contest evened out in the latter spell of the half at the Estadio Municipal Los Cármenes as the first half finished goalless with nothing to separate the sides at half-time and all to play for in the second half.

The second half followed the same script with Valencia CF struggling to settle into the game to try and make inroads going forward.

The Valencia CF chance fell to Javi Guerra who headed the ball off target. Moments later, Rubén Baraja made a double substitution with Sergi Cannós and Dimitri Foulquier making way for Jesús Vazquez and André Almeida respectively.

 Javi Guerra enjoyed another header but his effort blazed over the crossbar over the hour mark.

Later on, Valencia CF enjoyed a quick exchange between Almeida and Jesús Vázquez but his effort flashed over the crossbar in the 72nd minute.

Valencia CF up the ante and shortly after it paid off with an absolute Andre Almeida wonder goal who slammed the ball home inside the left post past Batalla to break the deadlock in the closing stages of the second half.  

Valencia CF dug deep defensively and held out to snatch away a much-needed win over Granada CF with a valiant hard-fought return to winning ways.

MATCH SHEET:

0. GRANADA CF: Batalla, Corbeanu (Jozwiak, 57’), B. Méndez (R. Sánchez, 65’), Miguel Rubio, Ignasi Miquel, C. Neva, Pellistri, Gumbau, Sergio Ruiz (Gonzalo Villar, 79’), Uzuni (M. Arezo, 79’) and Lucas Boyé.

1. VALENCIA CF: Mamardashvili, Thierry R., Cristhian Mosquera, Cenk, Foulquier (Jesús Vázquez, 57’), Javi Guerra, Pepelu, Fran Pérez (Peter Federico, 69’), Sergi Canós (André Almeida, 57’), Diego López and Hugo Duro (Alberto Marí, 86’).

GOALS: 1-0 André Almeida, 77’.

REFEREE: Hernández Hernández (C. Canario). Booked Lucas Boyé, Jozwiak, Peter Federico, Gonzalo Villar.

VAR: González Fuertes.

OBSERVATIONS: Matchday 26 of LALIGA EA Sports held at the Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes of Granada which was postponed due to the tragic fire in the Campanar neighbourhood.