Alaves 0-0 Valencia
Alaves and Valencia returned to action after the international break with both sides hoping to shake off a mixed run of form. Los Che found themselves coming off two damaging defeats to Real Oviedo and Girona, while Alaves had just beaten this season’s revelation Elche to snap a three game winless run.
The first half saw both sides have early opportunities, but neither could convert. Valencia’s was perhaps the best of them, with a ball to the back post finding Arnaut Danjuma, but his ball back across could neither find the net, nor a teammate. After the opening 15 minutes, the game settled into more of a rhythm, with neither side finding comfortable possession in the middle of the pitch, and struggling to put moves together.
Alaves turn up the pressure
It was the home side that came out in the second half the stronger though, and Valencia’s Julen Agirrezabala was forced into a smart save after 55 minutes, after Toni Martinez had an opening in the opening minutes. Again though, the match became congested in the middle of the pitch, with neither side capable of finding a rhythm.
It was only in the final 20 minutes that Alaves clearly imposed themselves on the game. Carlos Corberan’s outfit looked increasingly content to retain their shape and seek their opportunities on the break, but simultaneously, Alaves were winning the ball back higher and higher up the pitch. A late Denis Suarez free-kick from out wide found its way through the bodies and rebounded off the post, the closest either side came all night, but Valencia held on for a point.
Chacho Coudet’s side sit in 10th with 12 points, and retain their title as the best defence in the division for another week ahead of a trip to Vallecas. Meanwhile Valencia pick a point to move onto nine and into 14th place. Corberan has headaches ahead though, with Villarreal, Real Madrid and Real Betis on the horizon.
