Elche 0-1 Valencia
Three points, following a narrow 1-0 win over Elche at the Estadio Martinez Valero were enough to keep Valencia’s slim hopes of a top seven European place alive. They currently sit in ninth, trailing Villareal by four points, with nine games of the season remaining.
Elche, meanwhile, remain eight points clear of the drop with Cadiz still to play this weekend.
The short trip down the coast to Elche has become one of the tougher visits for La Liga sides in recent months, but Valencia imposed themselves taking just seven minutes to find the back of the Elche net.
Los Che thought they had taken the lead following a well-worked set-piece, but after Iglesias Villanueva, the official in charge in the VAR room, asked matchday referee, Ortiz Arias, to review the goal on the pitchside screen, the goal was chalked off for an offside by Foulquier in the build-up, much to the disappointment of the coaching staff and Hugo Guillamon.
That didn’t concern the visitors however, who continued to push the home side in search of goals, following their turgid 0-0 draw with Getafe last weekend.
Goncalo Guedes was, once again, in excellent form for the Valencia side as he sliced open the Elche defence on the half-hour mark. His hard work went unrewarded, however, when he looked favourite to score, he steered the ball wide of the post.
After the break, he wouldn’t take long to make the difference. This time it wasn’t a feat of technical ability but a bullish effort to get onto the end of a Carlos Soler pass. Inside the six yard box, he managed to steer the ball into the net as he collided heavily with the ground.
Elche didn’t sit back, however, as they went in search of the equalising goal and they managed to work some space down the flanks, but Tete Morente was unable to beat Giorgi Mamardashvili on either of the two occasions he created a chance.
As Elche did push forward, Valencia should have done more with the extra space they found. Uros Racic robbed the ball in midfield to set up a Valencia counter attack, only for too many cooks to spoil the opportunity.
This entertaining attacking football continued at both ends for the remainder of the match, although Elche failed to unduly threaten the Valencia goal and as the situation increasingly frustrated their Columbian full back Johan Mojica he was sent off for dissent by Ortiz Arias in the 92nd minute.
Next up for Elche two games against clubs chasing European football, a difficult away fixture at Athletic Bilbao on 3 April followed by a home game a week later against Real Sociedad. With nine fixtures still to play the Ilicitanos are probably still a couple of victories away from achieving permanence so they will still be scrapping for anything they can achieve.
- Images courtesy Elche CF
