He Valencia could not close this Wednesday the comeback against the Spanish in a duel of pure necessity between direct rivals (1-1). The team fought to overcome Puado’s initial goal, but they were unable to defeat their rival after the goal by Puado. Diego López draw after two goals disallowed for offside on the brink of the final whistle.
The local team came out with the lines well planted in their own field. They did not mind giving the ball to a Valencia incapable of penetrating with its long constructions. The parakeets wanted all the counterattacks.
Diego López forced a cross from Luis Rioja at the near post to sign the first dangerous chance and, once hostilities began, Espanyol responded with a shot from Puado hitting the crossbar.
It was the first warning from the battering ram, just five minutes later he wasted a clear header. The ball slipped through his bangs.
Valencia, meanwhile, kept the ball without generating bitealthough in another center, this time at the far post, López appeared again to put his instep and hit the ball against the crossbar.
The nerves were palpable on both benchesalthough closer to the heart attack was that of the Che after a one-on-one from Puado on the counter, covered to the limit by Dimitrievski.
The Spanish captain added three chances until, in a perfect center from Antoniu, he was able to connect an accurate header. The ball hit the back of the net in the 44th minute, a psychological goal for a Valencia once again sunk at the worst moment.
The last one before the break was hand in hand with Dani Gómez saved by GarcÃaa tie that came as quickly as the second half started. On the first occasion, after a strong cross from Barrenechea, Diego López finished it off hard at the near post.
The replica was Espanyol’s second goal a minute later, scored by Jofre after a rebound, but annulled after a prior offside signal to Cheddira, who very soon took the first shot.
From there The madness phase began, a frantic back and forth in which Espanyol demonstrated a constant verticality and some greater control, and Valencia its ability to come back from the counterattack with a clear missed chance by Dani Gómez in front of the goal line.
The changes gave both teams a break before the final push, started by Valencia with two dangerous shots from Canós and Dani Gómez.
Both occasions helped Baraja’s men to stop the parakeets and take control of the duel. They would even score the second, through Diego López first, and Dani Gómez later, both offside.
In the end, The duel of despair ended in a useless draw for both teams, suffocated in the red zone of the table.