Match Report: Valencia CF close out home campaign with emphatic win over SD Eibar (4-1)

Valencia CF welcomed SD Eibar on Sunday, May 16th for their final home game at Mestalla at 6:30 pm kick-off time under unified kick-off times across all LaLiga fixtures on Matchday 37 of LaLiga Santander.

Mestalla saw the return of fans to the stands for the last game of the season after 442 days without their twelfth man. More specifically, since the 29th of February 2020 in a 2-1 home win over Real Betis.

Valencia CF were off to a perfect start to the game Gonçalo Guedes opened the scoring at the first time of asking drilling it home past Dimitrovic with a powerful left-footer following a thunderbolt counter-attack started off by Thierry Correia who won the ball back rolled into Carlos Soler who picked out the Portuguese winger and sent it into his path who took up the invitation to make it 1-0 for Valencia CF only two minutes into the game.

With a lot at stake, the opposition refused to back down and fashioned dangerous chances after the goal. Alas, Valencia CF were very disciplined, composed and organised to break away on the counter-attack at every opportunity.  

Carlos Soler put Valencia CF two goals to the good on 19 minutes following a Gonçalo Guedes bursting run down the left who picked out an onrushing Carlos Soler who forcefully turned it home past Dimitrovic.  Roles reversed as Gonçalo Guedes turned provider this time around. 

Aforementioned Carlos Soler grabbed a brace ten minutes later after a great link-up play between José Luis Gayà and Gonçalo Guedes. Gonçalo Guedes burst run down the left-wing and rolled it out wide into Jose Luis Gayà who set up an onrushing Soler to fire it home to make it 3-0 inside half an hour.

Substitute Bryan Gil, pulled one back for SD Eibar only two minutes after coming on to replace Muto.

 Moments later, Bryan Gil provided another scare for a handball appeal against Hugo Guillamón, but after a VAR review, the penalty was not given.

The eventful first half finished 3-1 for Valencia CF as goal galore in the opening half.

Valencia CF came out in the second half looking to pick up where they left off. Jasper Cillessen was called into action by Bryan Gil however, Gonçalo Guedes responded immediately at the other end but his shot went narrowly off target.

Gonçalo Guedes made it 4-1 following a smart link-up play between Gabriel Paulista and Maxi Gómez who delivered a fine return ball into the Portuguese who made no mistake and prodded it home to make it 4-1 for Valencia CF and his second of the afternoon.

José Luis Gayà came close to adding a fifth over the hour mark with a wicked cross-shot delivery that almost caught out Dimitrovic.

Voro made a double change brining on Piccini and Uros Racic for Thierry Correia for Daniel Wass. The tempo fell off with chances for both sides.  

Manu Vallejo and Kevin Gameiro came on after the cooling break both sides kept on pushing to score, but the scoreline remained unchanged finished 4-1 and Valencia CF closed out their home season with an emphatic 4-1 win over SD Eibar.

Valencia CF will visit SD Huesca on the final day on Saturday, May 22nd under unified kick-off times at 6 pm kick-off time at El Alcoraz on Matchday 38 of LaLiga Santander.

Match Details:

4. VALENCIA CF: Cillessen, Thierry Correia (Piccini, 67’), Gabriel Paulista, Hugo Guillamón, Diakhaby (Mangala, 84’), Gayà, Wass (Racic, 67’), Carlos Soler, Kang In, Guedes (Manu Vallejo, 77’) and Maxi Gómez (Gameiro, 77’).

1. SD EIBAR: Dmitrovic, Rober Correa (Pozo, 67’), Oliveira, Arbilla, Cote, Edu Expósito (Diop, 69’), Atienza (Aleix García, 76’), Recio, Rodrigues (Bryan Gil, 36’), Kike García and Muto (Sergi Enrich, 36’).

Goals: 1-0 Guedes, 3’; 2-0 Carlos Soler, 19’; 3-0 Carlos Soler, 30’; 3-1 Bryan Gil, 38’; 4-1 Guedes, 49’.

Observations: Matchday 37 of LaLiga Santander held at Mestalla which welcomed back spectators to the stands since the pandemic outbreak begun.