Match Report: VCF start Javi Gracia era with preseason win over CDCS (1-0)

Valencia CF hosted CD Castellón in their first pre-season match at the Antonio Puchades stadium at 7 pm.  Valencia CF had a positive start to the game pressing high up the pitch to win possession. 

Uroš Račic came close to scoring early with a volley following a Maxi Gómez ball inside the first minute. Moments later, Valencia CF enjoyed a similar piece of play with Yunus Musah winning the ball back high up the pitch and rolling it into Maxi Gómez but his shot went off target.   

Yunus Musah tried his luck minutes later after combing with Kang-In but his effort went straight at the goalkeeper.    

CD Castellón had a clear cut chance through Ortuño and almost pounced on rounding the keeper it but it went wide from a tight angle over the ten-minute mark. 

Later on, Valencia CF were forced into a change over the quarter-hour mark following a bad foul on Kang-In who was clipped on the knee by  his marker and he was replaced by Manu Vallejo. 

Uroš Račić forced the CD Castellón keeper into a fine save following a Manu Vallejo pass into Gonçalo Guedes who let the ball roll into Uroš Račić who had a powerful left-footed shot saved half-way through the first half.  

Yonus Musah, one of Valencia CF’s main outlets in attack delivered a teasing ball into Manu Vallejo who brought another fine save out of the CD Castellón keeper.  

CD had two chances in the closing stages one through Ortuño from distance and another one from Victor straight at Jaume’s hands. The first half finished goalless with nothing to separate the sides at the break.

Javi Gracia introduced a much-changed lineup in the second half with eight changes to the first-half lineup who came out looking to break the deadlock. Valencia CF enjoyed dangerous forays into the opposition box but lacked finishing. 

José Luis Gayà rattled the woodwork over the crossbar after dribbling past his marker in Valencia CF’s first clear-cut chance of the second half over the hour mark at the Antonio Puchades in an action-rife friendly.

Koba Koindredi emulated his teammate crashing a cross-cum-shot against the crossbar from a free-kick with little under 20 minutes to go and a just a minute later Hugo Guillamón was denied by the post from close range.       

Persistence paid dividends on 78 minutes with a finely well-worked move Jasper Cillessen sent a probing ball down the channel into Daniel Wass who rolled it into Vallejo who slid it home across the keeper to finally break the deadlock. 

Valencia CF had a penalty appeal on Manu Vallejo waved away by the referee in the closing stages the scoreline remained unchanged as Javi Gracia’s era starts with a win in the opening game of the pre-season.

Valencia CF will play their second pre-season test against regional opposition Villarreal CF on the 28th of August at 8 pm kick-off time in Murcia. Javi Gracia’s side will chase back-to-back preseason wins over regional opposition.   

Match Details: 

1. Valencia CF: Jaume Doménech ©, Thierry, Mangala, G. Paulista, Centelles, Racic, Esquerdo, Yunus, Guedes, Kang In and Maxi Gómez. Manu Vallejo (min. 19) Kang In, Cillessen, Gayà, Wass, Piccini, Rubén Sobrino, Koba Lein, Guillem Molina and Hugo Guillamón. 

0. CD Castellón: A. Campos, A. Lapeña, Cubillas ©, Rubén D. Alfredo, Víctor, Ortuño, Carlos Delgado, J. Señor, Jorge Fernández and Albert Núñez.  Felipe, César Díaz, Íñigo Muñoz, Gálvez, Muguruza, Carrillo, Joshua, Aaron, Cárcaba and Pablo Roig. 

Goals: 1-0, min. 77: Manu Vallejo. 

Referee: Iván Muñoz Pérez. 

Observations: Friendly match played behind closed doors at the Antonio Puchades stadium at the Ciutat Esportiva de Paterna, president of Valencia CF Anil Murthy watched on from the box.