Valencia CF embarked on a brief journey to Castellón to confront Villarreal CF on Sunday, the 17th of March, with a kick-off scheduled for 4:15 pm (CET) at the Estadio de La Cerámica, marking Matchday 29 of LaLiga EA Sports.
The match commenced with a brisk pace evident at both ends, with Valencia CF initially struggling to establish dominance. Notably, Giorgi Mamardashvili showcased remarkable goalkeeping prowess for Valencia CF, executing a sensational triple save early in the game to maintain the scoreline at 0-0.
An opportunity arose for Hugo Duro to break the deadlock, reminiscent of his goal against Getafe CF, as he engaged in a fluid sequence of play involving Javi Guerra and Sergi Canós. However, Duro’s attempt to chip the Villarreal CF goalkeeper sailed over the crossbar.
Shortly thereafter, Sergi Canós nearly seized the initiative after receiving a return pass from Gayà, yet his shot was directed straight at the Villarreal CF goalkeeper, marking a livelier phase of attack for Valencia CF.
Despite an unfavorable decision resulting in a penalty awarded to Villarreal CF, Mamardashvilli’s heroics thwarted Álex Baena’s attempt from the spot, preserving the stalemate.
The first half culminated without goals, setting the stage for an engaging second half at the Estadio de La Cerámica.
Subsequent to Gayà’s early departure due to injury, Rubén Baraja made his second halftime substitution.
Valencia CF encountered a sluggish start to the second half, necessitating defensive resilience as they contended with pressure from the home side.
The initial chances in the second half fell to Javi Guerra and Peter Federico for Valencia CF, with the former testing the Villarreal CF goalkeeper from distance.
Mamardashvili’s commendable goalkeeping thwarted further attempts by Santi Comesaña and Sorloth, but Villarreal CF ultimately broke the deadlock with a goal from Jorge Cuenca in the 54th minute.
Despite Diego López’s endeavor to equalize, his attempt to lift the ball over the goalkeeper narrowly missed the target. Valencia CF persisted in their pursuit of an equalizer, with Hugo Duro’s overhead attempt falling straight into the hands of Jörgensen.
With twenty minutes of the regional derby remaining, plus stoppage time, Rubén Baraja made tactical adjustments in a bid to influence the outcome.