Anastasios Douvikas is on a roll. The Cup is elevating the Greek striker, who has been scoring goals in pairs for three rounds. The last one, against a Valencia that was too permeable at the back, which said goodbye to the competition before a fan that filled Mestalla again and was left without the expected celebration. Valencia came, grown by its most recent past. Four victories in a row -three in the League and one in the Cup- that had shaken his confidence. A streak that had not connected for more than two years. Too much time. And on a windy and warm night, they were preparing to enjoy a Copa del Rey tie. But Rafa Benítez's Celta, another one that the Mestalla fans adore, was quick to dismantle this idyllic evening and advance to the quarterfinals.
1
Jaume, Vazquez Alcalde (Gayá, min. 62), Gabriel Paulista, Yarek Gasiorowski, Thierry Correia, Francisco Martinez (Hugo Guillamón, min. 62), Diego López (David Otorbi, min. 81), Javi Guerra, Pepelu, Hugo Duro and Alberto Mari
3
Iván Villar, Carl Starfelt, Mihailo Ristic (Manu Sánchez, min. 63), Carlos Domínguez, Kevin Vázquez, Williot Swedberg, Miguel Rodriguez (Hugo Álvarez, min. 87), Fran Beltrán (Renato Tapia, min. 77), Hugo Sotelo , Luca De La Torre and Anastasios Douvikas
Goals 0-1 min. 12: Luca De La Torre. 0-2 min. 17: Anastasios Douvikas. 1-2 min. 29: Pepelu. 1-3 min. 80: Anastasios Douvikas.
Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
Yellow cards Kevin Vázquez (min. 47), Williot Swedberg (min. 68) and Yarek Gasiorowski (min. 86)
Celta surprised with two very quick goals. The 0-2 left everyone confused. To those who went with cleated boots and to those who arrived with a sandwich and a desire to play soccer. The black and white defense, too candid without Mosquera, seemed to invite Celta's forwards to do evil things. A failure in a clearance by Jaume ended with a surprising shot from behind by De la Torre that opened the scoring. And a knockdown by Diego López on Miguel Rodríguez inside the area, just three minutes later, led the referee to award a penalty that Douvikas, very active throughout the first half, converted into that unexpected 0-2. An especially disturbing result in a tie without return.
Valencia could not speculate and went on the attack. An offensive without a pattern. Out of spite. Javi Guerra lengthened his already famous stride, but this time his steps were faster than his head. Baraja's team was in chaos, but found help in an involuntary clearance with Miguel Rodríguez's elbow that forced Burgos Bengoechea to whistle, after consulting him, a second penalty that helped Valencia, through its great specialist In these launches, Pepelu will shorten distances.
The Valencian's goal reactivated the fans. The fans raised his team, which had been dead until then. The duel became especially heavy. The straps were jumping and the match got out of control. There were chances in both areas, although neither of the two contenders for the quarterfinals managed to achieve them.
Valencia redoubled its offensive commitment after the restart. Baraja, who had seen that everything was happening on Fran Pérez's side, removed Alberto Marí from the other flank and placed Sergi Canós, a player with the ability to overwhelm and create danger on the left. But Celta, huddled around their area, knew how to find their options with Douvikas, De la Torre, Williot Swedberg and Miguel Rodríguez, who became specialists in sneaking through the Valencian defense.
Baraja was recovering its starters from the League matches to try to straighten out the tie and, after Canós, Gayá and Hugo Guillamón also entered, freeing Javi Guerra so that he could advance. But among so many Valencian waves, forced by the ticking of the clock, Celta sneaked in, very sober all night, to create good chances. Benítez's team created the same danger with three counterattacks as Valencia did by besieging the Celtic area.
Benítez's patience was rewarded thanks to a great header from Douvikas, who scored three doubles in a row in the Copa del Rey, six goals in three games for the Greek, who became the competition's top scorer and rewarded Rafa Benítez , the teacher who once again tactically surpassed, as happened in the League match at Mestalla, his student in that Valencia champion, Pipo Baraja.
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