| Valencia (1) | Osasuna (2) |
| Carlos Soler 83′ (P) | Chimy Avila 50′ (P) Ante Budimir 74′ |
Two penalties and a disallowed goal – there was no shortage of drama at Mestalla as Osasuna ended Valencia’s six-game unbeaten streak.
Having won our last 13 away games against Osasuna, no one expected Valencia to even struggle against the visitors. But Los Che failed to live up to expectations in a 1-2 defeat.
“The team want a good game against Osasuna because LaLiga is important”, said head coach Jose Bordalas before the game. Ambition alone is not enough to win a football game.
An uneventful first half preceded disaster in the 50th minute when the ball ballooned up and unmistakably struck Dimitri Foulquier’s arm in the penalty box. Osasuna forward Chimy Avila fired home the penalty and Valencia were behind.
Still, hope glimmered in the eyes of Valencianistas as they urged the team to replicate the goal scoring prowess shown earlier in the season.
Cheers erupted shortly after as Hugo Guillamon seemed to turn a corner into the Osasuna goal. It did not take long for the hurrah to dissipate. A quick VAR check revealed a clear handball from Guillamon and the goal was disallowed.
From then on, the Bats seemed out of sorts as they repelled attack after attack. Osasuna tasted the fruit of their labours when forward Ante Budimir rose above 2 Valencia defenders to head a cross home.
With our attack failing to fire and our defence crumbling, Valencia’s display was nothing short of dreadful. Carlos Soler managed to convert a penalty after Goncalo Guedes was brought down in the box, but a consolation goal was no balm to our wounds.
Time is running out for Valencia to secure a European football spot. And with only 1 game left before next week’s Copa del Rey final, the squad needs to wake up before it’s too late.
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