Valencia win to stay in the race for third place

Valencia CF defeated Levante UD 3-0 in the final fixture of matchday 31 of the Liga BBVA. This result keeps Nuno Espírito Santo’s men’s hopes of snatching third place from Atlético Madrid alive. Los colchoneros are one point above Valencia with 66. Meanwhile, this defeat means that Lucas Alcaraz’s charges are 18th with 28 points.

Levante played with a high line during the first half which made it difficult for Los Che to move the ball out from the back. However, the home team did not need long to go in front, with Dani Parejo whipping in a cross from the right wing that Paco Alcácer was able to head in from inside the penalty area to make it 1-0. The goal was a blow for Levante and they barely created any danger during the opening 45 minutes. Their best chance came from a David Barral right-footed effort that flew over the bar. That strike was immediately followed by Valencia’s second of the night. Lucas Orban crossed in from the left flank and this time it was Sofiane Feghouli who headed the ball past Diego Mariño.

Lucas Alcaraz’s team looked stronger after the break and tried to turn the score around. José Mari tested Diego Alves’s reflexes in the 63rd minute with a strike from 30 yards but the Brazilian keeper sent the ball out for a corner. Valencia’s tempo dropped as the game went on and they were content to protect the three points. The Mestalla outfit increased their lead even further when Álvaro Negredo controlled the ball outside the box before unleashing a volley into the back of Mariño’s net to bring the final result to 3-0.