Luis Rioja scored against his former club to hand Valencia its first victory of the season in Vitoria. The result snapped Alavés’ strong start and eased pressure on the visitors. Injuries and tactical changes shaped a tense match.
Valencia finally picked up its first win of the season in Vitoria, thanks to a late goal from Luis Rioja. The winger, just back from injury and facing his old club, finished off a pass from Javi Guerra in the 78th minute. Until then, Alavés had looked in control. Rioja’s goal stunned the home crowd, but his night ended in tears as he aggravated his injury during the celebration and had to leave the pitch.
The match at Mendizorrotza was Óscar Sánchez’s first as Valencia’s interim coach after Carlos Corberán’s dismissal. Alavés, coming off a strong start to the season, saw plenty of the ball and threatened down the right through Ángel Pérez. Despite their pressure, the hosts couldn’t convert, with Toni Martínez and Pablo Ibáñez both missing good chances before halftime.
Valencia’s victory over Alavés on September 15, 2026, was the club’s first win of the season and came in Óscar Sánchez’s debut as interim head coach.
Valencia thought they had scored early, but Danjuma’s goal was ruled out for a narrow offside after a VAR check. That decision seemed to wake up the visitors, who started testing Antonio Sivera with long-range shots but couldn’t find a breakthrough. Alavés responded by pressing higher and winning the ball in dangerous areas, but their finishing let them down.
After halftime, Alavés pushed even harder, forcing Valencia to defend deep and look for chances on the counter. The home side’s best moments came just before the break, when Dimitrievski made two important saves to deny Ángel Pérez and Ville Koski. The second half slowed down, but Alavés kept pushing until one lapse at the back let Javi Guerra slip through and set up Rioja for the winner.
According to ESPN, Rioja’s winning goal had an expected goals (xG) value of 0.36 and an xG on target (xGOT) of 0.58, highlighting the quality and importance of the chance. Multiple sources also note that Alavés controlled the match territorially but failed to capitalize on their opportunities, while Valencia made the most of their key moment.
Alavés threw players forward in the final minutes, desperate for an equalizer but lacking precision. Valencia nearly added a second on the break, but settled for a narrow win that relieves some early-season pressure. For Alavés, it’s a second straight defeat that halts their momentum in LaLiga EA Sports.
Both teams’ lineups reflected recent injuries and tactical tweaks. Alavés started with Sivera in goal, then Ángel Pérez, Valentini, Tenaglia, Koski, Abde Rebbach, Blanco, Ibáñez, Denis Suárez, Lucas Boyé, and Toni Martínez. Valencia’s eleven included Dimitrievski, Maffeo, Pepelu, De Haas, Gayà, Mayol, Guido, Ugrinic, Danjuma, Javi Guerra, and Duro, with Rioja coming off the bench to decide the match.
This result may not draw the headlines of Barcelona’s recent Champions League news, as reported earlier, but it marks a shift for Valencia. The team managed to get a result under pressure, despite injuries and a new coach. For Alavés, the loss exposes problems that could threaten their strong start if not addressed. In a league where momentum can disappear quickly, this match showed how one pass and one finish can change the story for both sides.
