Valencia grabbed a 1-0 win over Alavés thanks to a late strike from Luis Rioja, moving the club off the bottom of LaLiga. The result comes after major changes in Valencia's management.
Valencia left Vitoria with a much-needed win, beating Alavés 1-0 after a late goal from Luis Rioja. Rioja found the net in the closing minutes, slipping past Sivera and quieting the home crowd. The three points give Valencia a boost in their fight to avoid relegation.
Valencia came into the match at the bottom of the table, still dealing with the fallout from a major shake-up at the club. Owner Peter Lim had recently fired coach Carlos Corberán, his staff, and CEO Ron Gourlay after a poor start to the season. Braulio Vázquez, who previously worked at Osasuna, was brought in as sporting director to bring stability and experience.
The match was decided by Luis Rioja's goal in the 78th minute, as confirmed by ESPN, Sofascore, and Flashscore.
On the field, Valencia looked sharper and more determined than in recent games. They created several chances in the first half, and Arnaut Danjuma even scored after a move started by Javi Guerra, but VAR ruled him offside. Instead of letting that setback affect them, Valencia kept up the pressure.
Alavés, enjoying a strong start to their season, grew into the game. By halftime and into the second half, they pushed forward, with Boyé leading several attacks. Valencia's defense held firm, and goalkeeper Dimitrievski made an important save to keep the score level as the match wore on.
With both teams struggling to break through, it looked like the match would end without a goal. Then, Luis Rioja—who previously played for Alavés—ran onto a well-placed pass, broke clear, and finished calmly to give Valencia the win. The moment echoed other recent late-game turnarounds, like the Boca victory reported earlier, where a single play decided the outcome in the final moments.
According to ESPN DEPORTES, Alavés had 13 shots to Valencia's 10, but the visitors were more efficient, registering 3 shots on target and 5 corners, while Alavés managed only 2 shots on target and 2 corners. The match was officiated by Miguel Sesma Espinosa, with Valentín Pizarro Gómez on VAR, as reported by TheScore.
The win moves Valencia off the bottom of the table and shows the squad can respond to pressure after recent changes at the top. For Alavés, the loss is a setback but doesn't erase their strong start to the season. For Valencia, a new sporting director and a crucial away win offer hope for a turnaround. Whether this marks the start of a real recovery remains to be seen, but for now, Valencia has given itself a lifeline in LaLiga.
