Diego Martínez makes his big debut with Las Palmas and leaves Valencia at the bottom

This Monday, in the last match of the tenth matchday of LaLiga EA Sports and in Diego Martínez’s debut as coach of the Gran Canaria team, UD Las Palmas signed their first victory of the season against Valencia in Mestalla (2-3), a result that takes the yellow team out of the last position in the table and puts the ‘che’ team in it.

Rubén Baraja’s men managed to take the lead before the quarter-hour mark with a penalty converted by Pepelu, which with 20 minutes remaining would leave his team with ten due to an attack that caused him to see a direct red card. Álex Muñoz, Fábio Silva and Alberto Moleiro sealed the comeback and took their team out of the ‘red lantern’ at the beginning of the ‘Diego Martínez era’.

In a hectic first half, the ‘che’ team, in which full-back Ro Abajas made his debut, warned after 15 seconds through Dani Gómez on a chance that was thwarted by Dário Essugo after the error in Scott McKenna’s back pass. Valencia’s insistence in those first moments allowed him to take the lead in an action inside the area.

At 13 minutes, referee Gil Manzano awarded a penalty for a grab by José Campaña on Enzo Barrenechea. Pepelu stood before the eleven meters and shot directly into the top corner, and although Jasper Cillessen guessed the shot, he could not prevent the ball from slipping into the back of the net.

The Dutch goalkeeper still had to stop a shot from Dani Gómez shortly afterwards, and Pepelu looked for the double with a shot from the edge of the box that was deflected by Cillessen, who a few minutes later again provided a saving hand against Thierry Correia’s attempt.

Despite the local dominance, the Gran Canarian team soon neutralized Rubén Baraja’s team, after a first shot by Fábio Silva that forced Giorgi Mamardashvili. In the 43rd minute, it was Adnan Januzaj who tested the Georgian goalkeeper, who cleared the ball, and Álex Muñoz picked it up and scored at will.

After the restart, after a chance for each side, Fábio Silva sealed the comeback by taking advantage of a brilliant pass from Campaña (min.53). Valencia sought the reaction by moving the bench, from where José Luis Gayà, among others, entered, who returned to play 155 days later.

However, everything went up in smoke when in the 69th minute Pepelu saw a straight red card after a mistimed challenge by Marc Cardona on Gayà that generated a tangana. Kirian got into it and pushed Pepelu, who responded with a slap.

Despite everything, the locals were still able to tie, as they wasted a sensational opportunity in the boots of Hugo Duro, who gave it up to Javi Guerra when he could have shot alone. The one who did not forgive was Diego Martínez’s team, who seemed to end the clash with a cross shot by Alberto Moleiro (min.84).

In the 94th minute, César Tárrega closed the gap with a header from Gayà’s cross, but the reaction was half-hearted. In this way, Valencia goes through its fourth consecutive day without winning and remains bottom with six points, the same ones that allow Las Palmas to rise to the penultimate place in the table, two units away from the safety zone.