Valencia leapfrogged Sevilla into fourth in the La Liga with a 3-1 win over the Andalusians in a match filled with controversy and three penalties on Sunday.
The host sped into a 2-0 lead as Dani Parejo opened the scoring from the penalty spot before adding the finishing touch to a fine counter-attack.
However, Parejo was then lucky to escape a second yellow card when he upended Diogo Figueras inside the area and Carlos Bacca halved Sevilla’s deficit from the spot.
The Colombian couldn’t repeat his act from the spot later as penalty specialist Diego Alves dived to his left to stop the third penalty of the night and Javi Fuego compounded his error with Valencia’s third after the break.
Victory moves Valencia two points clear of Sevilla in fourth, although the Europa League holder has a game in hand.
Quick startsValencia has made a habit of fast starts under Nuno Espirito Santo this season and should have been in front just four minutes in when Rodrigo somehow failed to turn Alvaro Negredo’s cross into an unguarded net.
The results:
La Liga: Espanyol 3 (Stuani 37, 40, Caicedo 74) bt Almeria 0; Valencia 3 (Parejo 18-pen, 32, Javi Fuego 56) bt Sevilla 1 (Bacca 36-pen).
Serie ‘A’: Fiorentina 1 (Gomez 19) drew with Roma 1 (Ljajic 49).
