BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A Valencia team featuring young players earned a 2-1 win at 10-man Sevilla on the opening day of the Spanish league on Friday.
Twenty-year-old substitute Javi Guerra, who emerged as a talent last campaign, scored the 88th-minute winner after Sevilla had lost defender Loic Badé to a red card.
Hugo Duro was key to the win. He was breaking clear when Badé fouled him from behind with only the goalkeeper to beat and saw the direct red card in the 80th. And the striker helped recover the ball near Sevilla’s box before he assisted Guerra to slot home the winner.
Valencia barely avoided relegation last campaign and lost several players in the summer with Samuel Lino, Edinson Cavani, Yunus Musah, Justin Kluivert, Ilaix Moriba, and Nico González all leaving the club.
Valencia coach Rubén Baraja surprised by aligning central defender Mouctar Diakhaby as a box-to-box holding midfielder. The move paid off. Diakhaby was found by André Almeida arriving late to the area to score in the 59th minute.
Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri equalized for the hosts in the 69th by heading in a cross by Suso.
Valencia also got impressive performance from attacking players Diego López (21) and Fran Pérez (20) to help pull off the upset at Sevilla, last season’s Europa League winner.
NO OFFER FOR BOUNOU
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou started for Sevilla amid speculation in the local media that Real Madrid could be interested in signing him to replace the injured Thibaut Courtois, who will miss several months after tearing a knee ligament on Thursday.
Sevilla president Pepe Castro said that Madrid has not made any moves to sign his club’s goalie.
“Sevilla has not received any offers (for Bounou) from any club,” Castro said.
RAYO WINS
Rayo Vallecano forward Randy Nteka scored one goal and helped produce another in a 2-0 win at Almeria.
Rayo took control of the league’s inaugural match thanks to two early penalties in the debut of coach Francisco Rodríguez, who replaced the successful Andoni Iraola after he took over Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Midfielder Isi Palazón, Rayo’s leading scorer last season, converted a 20th-minute penalty after Almeria defender Edgar González fouled Nteka in the area while disputing a ball.
Nteka, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Elche, fired a second spot kick into the corner of the net eight minutes later after Almeria’s Sergio Akieme used his arm to block a cross by Nteka in the area.
Last season, Rayo flirted with a Europa League berth before finishing 11th. This summer it reinforced its squad with the arrival of central defender Aridane Hernández from Osasuna and left back Alfonso Espino from Cádiz.
Madrid opens its season on Saturday at Athletic Bilbao, while Barcelona is at Getafe on Sunday.
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