Valencia secured a much-needed 1-0 win over Granada in La Liga on Friday for their first home victory of the season.
Center back Shkodran Mustafi headed in what proved to be the winner in the 26th minute, and goalkeeper Jaume Domenech made the saves his team needed to take the points.
Valencia’s disgruntled fans had called for coach Nuno Espirito Santo to be fired after their previous match at the Estadio Mestalla, which ended in a draw. That was followed by a 1-0 defeat away to RCD Espanyol on Tuesday.
Photo: AFP
Despite the win, which pushed Valencia into a provisional sixth place, applause was mixed with jeers after the final whistle.
“You can’t please everyone, but you can win their respect,” Espirito Santo said. “We will have to find the tipping point for this to change. The first thing was to win, but the problem is still not resolved.”
On “Tuesday we play in the Champions League and we will suffer,” he added.
Photo: AFP
Valencia head to France to play against Olympique Lyonnais next after losing its European opener at home to Zenit St Petersburg.
Granada have lost four matches in a row and five of six matches this season.
“The worst thing for Granada was the result,” said coach Jose Sandoval, whose side was left in the relegation zone in 18th place. “One day we will receive the recompense.”
Valencia won the better share of possession in the first half, and went ahead after Granada’s Javier Marquez tested Domenech with the match’s first scoring chance in the 23rd minute.
Shortly afterward, Mustafi dove to thump Zakaria Bakkali’s well-placed cross from the opposite right flank past goalkeeper Andres Fernandez, who got a hand on the header, but could not keep it out.
Granada almost equalized three minutes later when Youssef el-Arabi turned Isaac Success’ pass off the crossbar.
Domenech again had to spring into action to make a one-handed save of Ruben Rochina’s free-kick to protect the hosts’ advantage.
After the restart, Marquez slotted a low strike through Valencia’s packed area, but Domenech got low to smother it, and a nervous murmuring in the stands was heard in the final minutes as Granada pushed Valencia into their box searching for the draw.
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