Friday, March 12, 2021 at 11:19 PM• Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk • Last update: 23:31

Valencia continues to alternate defeats with wins in LaLiga. The team of Javi Gracia was beaten on Friday evening by fellow townsman Levante, who had been beaten 4-2 by los Che: 1-0. Valencia have won two and lost three of the last five LaLiga matches. With the defeat, Valencia remains in twelfth place, eight points from the red line, while Levante is seven points away from a European ticket.

Valencia left a good impression in the first minutes, but in ten stormy minutes Levante made it clear that he had not given up the battle for a Europa League ticket. Good chances via Rubén Rochina and Jorge de Frutos (post) did not lead to a goal, but Roger Marti did hit.

After eighteen minutes of play, Mouctar Diakhaby played the ball a few meters in front of his penalty area into Rochina’s feet, who then gave Roger a good pass. The tastemaker shot the ball diagonally in the right corner behind Jasper Cillessen, making it his eleventh of the season. Valencia was then better in the game, but was too timid and did not get further than a few chances through Goncalo Guedes in the remainder of the first half.

In the second half, the city derby could go in all directions. Gracia’s team had come out of the locker room much better, but Levante was perilous in the switch. Cillessen kept the visitors going by turning shots from De Frutos and José Luis Morales. However, Valencia could not force a draw. After the international match, a meeting with Granada awaits in its own Mestalla.