21st February, 2016
Gary Neville enjoyed a third successive win as Valencia’s revival continued with a fortunate 2-1 victory over La Liga strugglers Granada.
After a first league win last weekend, Neville’s side won away in La Liga for the first time since November.
Daniel Parejo, who scored in Valencia’s 6-0 midweek Europa League win over Rapid Vienna, got the opening goal.
Santiago Mina then made it 2-0 on the break in the last minute before Edgar Mendez headed one back in injury time.
Andre Gomes twice went close to giving Valencia a first-half lead but both times he was denied by fine saves from Andres Fernandez.
The visitors finally went in front 10 minutes into the second half when Paco Alcacer laid the ball off for Parejo to stroke home his eighth goal of the season.
But Valencia, who moved up to 11th in the table, then rode their luck as David Barral hit the bar from a couple of yards out and substitute Youssef El-Arabi headed wide.
Former England and Manchester United full-back Neville must have been alarmed at his side’s defending before Mendez tapped in their second goal, after Fernandez had saved Alcacer’s attempted chip.
Mendez still had time to head in from a free-kick but could not prevent bottom club Granada slumping to a sixth defeat in their last seven games.
Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano edged away from the relegation places with a point from a 2-2 draw with fifth-placed Seville.
Real Sociedad won 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao to secure a fourth successive league victory.