Match Report: Valencia 0 Sevilla 1

Published on March 21, 2011 by Nicholas Rigg · No Comments

Valencia’s worrying form continued at the Mestalla on Sunday night as they slipped to their third defeat on the bounce and surrendered third position in the Primera Division to Villarreal after suffering a 1-0 defeat against Sevilla. Ivan Rakitic’s third goal for Los Rojiblancos since arriving in the winter transfer window secured Gregorio Manzano’s men three crucial points to strengthen their position for a finish in the Europa League places. The Croatian international struck midway through the second half in an entertaining clash, but it was Sevilla stopper Javi Varas who took the man of the match plaudits for producing a string of fine saves to deny Unai Emery’s men.

Valencia, whose players had their names written in Japanese on the back of their shirts in respect of the tragic events happening in Japan in recent weeks, were desperate to bounce back from consecutive defeats and regain third position in the table following Villarreal’s win at Athletic Bilbao earlier in the evening. But Los Che struggled to find the scoring touch in front of goal and were denied time and again by Varas in a match where chances came think and fast at both ends.

Juan Mata was the first to threaten in front of goal in the fourth minute when the Valencia midfield man fired a low effort wide before the hosts came closer minutes later when Roberto Soldado was left unmarked from a corner but powered his header wide when he should have done better. The former Getafe man, who was searching for his 50th goal in La Liga, was looking lively and linking well with Joaquin and he got on the end of a dangerous cross from the latter but Julien Escude was well positioned to block his effort.

The hosts carved out the better chances in the opening exchanges but Sevilla hit back when Jesus Navas out-foxed Jeremy Mathieu on the right before lashing a powerful effort towards goal that Valencia stopper Vicente Guaita tipped away for a corner via the woodwork. The game was an open one and play switched to the other end, where the impressive Varas had to show strong hands to palm away a Soldado effort following good work between Joaquin and Mata. Joaquin then had a penalty appeal waved away as he tried to dance through Los Rojiblancos defence but fell under pressure from Mouhamadou Dabo.

Both sides were getting close in front of goal but it was somewhat of a miracle that the game remained goalless after glorious chances came at both ends in a matter of minutes. Both came on the break, first to Alvaro Negredo when he latched on to a neat through-ball but saw his effort crash back off the inside of the post, and then to Jonas when he was left one-on-one with the goalkeeper but lifted his effort agonisingly wide of goal. Diego Perotti then stung the hands of Guaita from long-range before Negredo directed a header just wide from an Alexis cross and Perotti saw a header of his own test the Valencia stopper as the visitors enjoyed a purple patch midway through the first half.

Frederic Kanoute, so influential as a second-half substitute in getting Sevilla back into the game in the draw with Barcelona last weekend, had been relatively quiet in the opening exchanges but he did test Guaita with a long-range effort five minutes before the break. Guaita was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers as the second half progressed and he did well to palm away a powerful Navas long-range effort a minute before half-time to see the sides go into the break on level terms.

The visitors carried their momentum into the second half and Perotti fired straight into the wall from a dangerous free-kick after being pulled down right on the edge of the box before Ivan Rakitic saw two long-range efforts blocked in quick succession. Los Che weathered the Sevilla storm though and were a lick of paint away from opening the scoring themselves when Jonas smashed an effort against the post on the break.

Valencia made their first change eight minutes into the second half when Ever Banega came on to replace David Navarro, who looked to be carrying a knock. The chances showed no signs of drying up and Kanoute glanced a header inches over the bar from a Rakitic corner kick in the 54th minute. But despite Sevilla’s dominance on the resumption Valencia had a triple chance to steal the lead just before the hour mark. Varas came racing from his goal to deny Jonas but the clearance fell straight to Mata, whose effort looked to be curling into the top corner before the Sevilla stopper tipped the ball onto the bar.

Both goalkeepers were the stars of the show for the first hour and Varas had to be on his toes again to keep the Andalusians on level terms. Soldado was through on goal but Varas spread himself to block his effort before he got down to save with his feet from a Jonas header. The Sevilla number one was fast becoming man of the match, and continued to win his personal battle against Soldado when he denied the Valencia hitman again in the 68th minute. But despite the hosts enjoying their purple patch it was Sevilla who opened the scoring in the 69th minute through Rakitic. The Croatian international was free to drill a powerful effort beyond Guaiti for what turned out to be the decisive goal.

With 15 minutes to go Valencia introduced Aritz Aduriz in place of Jonas and Jordi Alba for Mathieu as they searched for an equaliser, while Sevilla brought Didier Zokora on for Gary Medel in a like-for-like change. Negredo almost wriggled free of Mehmet Topal to get a chance to double Sevilla’s lead but the Valencia centre-back made a superb last-ditch tackle to keep the hosts in the contest. Valencia upped the tempo in the last five minutes but Manzano’s men were holding firm at the back and restricting their hosts to long-range efforts, with Banega firing an effort high over the bar. Soldado then headed over from a Alberto Costa corner.

Els Taronja were camped inside the Sevilla half as the match drew to a close but they couldn’t find a way through for a leveller to end their losing run and Varas produced another fine save to deny Benaga in stoppage time. Negredo had a golden opportunity to seal the win for Sevilla but Guaite saved well with his legs. Desperation then got the better of Joaquin in the last attack of the game when the winger dived inside the box and got a yellow card for his theatrics. But Los Rojiblancos weathered the late storm and clung on for three crucial points which further help their Europa League cause.

Valencia: Guaita, Ibanez, Navarro, Mathieu, Bruno, Topal, Mata, Joaquin, Costa, Soldado, Jonas. Subs: Cesar, Aduriz, Pablo, Alba, Costa, Banega, Vicente.

Sevilla: Varas, Escude, Alexis, Dabo, Fazio, Rakitic, Medel, Perotti, Navas, Negredo, Kanoute. Subs: Zokora, Renato, Capel, Romaric, Rodri, Alfaro, Dragutinovic.