Valencia looked set for defeat against Villarreal, but a dramatic late intervention from Umar Sadiq changed everything.
Coming off the bench, the Super Eagles forward delivered his first La Liga goal of the season, salvaging a crucial 1-1 draw at Estadi de la Ceràmica, Footballrover reports.
Villarreal dominates, but Valencia stays resilient
Villarreal, eyeing a third consecutive La Liga win for the first time in nearly a year, controlled much of the game.
They entered this fixture as heavy favourites, boasting four wins in their last six matches, while 19th-placed Valencia were battling relegation despite three wins in their last four outings.
The hosts started strong, with Luis Rioja firing the first warning shot just five minutes in.
Pape Gueye eventually broke the deadlock before halftime, rifling a stunning effort into the far corner beyond Giorgi Mamardashvili’s reach.
Villarreal continued pressing for a second, with Álex Baena and Santi Comesaña both testing the Valencia defence.
Nicolas Pépé even had the ball in the net, but an offside call nullified his effort.
Super sub Umar Sadiq saves Valencia with first La Liga goal of season
Despite struggling to create clear-cut chances, Valencia refused to back down.
However, their persistence paid off in the closing stages when substitutes Rafa Mir and Umar Sadiq combined.
Mir’s shot was initially saved by Diego Conde, but Sadiq reacted quickest, heading home the rebound to score his first La Liga goal of the season.
The late equaliser extends Valencia’s winless away run to 12 matches, but the valuable point moves them level with UD Las Palmas, just outside the relegation zone.
Villarreal, meanwhile, missed a golden opportunity to close the gap on the Champions League spots and must now regroup ahead of their crucial clash with Rayo Vallecano.
Sadiq’s heroics ensured Valencia walked away with a share of the spoils, proving once again that football can change in an instant.
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