Primera Division: Levante beat Valencia 2-1 after dramatic second half

Levante got the better of local rivals Valencia after a pulsating second half at the Ciutat de Valencia.

Casadesus Victor gave the home side the lead in the 58th minute and although Dani Parejo levelled after 74 minutes, Levante reclaimed the lead less than a minute later through Luis Morales to seal a 2-1 win.

Jose Gaya had the first effort of the game but from 12 yards he missed the target.

Chances were at a premium in the opening 45 minutes with the best falling to on-loan striker Alvaro Negredo, who had failed to score in any of his three previous matches for Los Che.

The striker's first opportunity came in the 15th minute when he met Pablo Piatti's corner, but from inside the six-yard box could not direct his header on target.

Pareja Carles Gil tested home stopper Diego Marino for the first time after 27 minutes with a powerful drive before Negredo was guilty once again of missing a decent chance when, from the same distance as before, he failed once again to land a header on target.

Piatti had a shot blocked towards the end of the half, before Negredo made it a hat-trick of misses two minutes before the break as he could not head a Moreno Rodrigo cross on target.

After a lifeless opening period the game showed signs of improvement early in the second when Filipe Andre Gomes sent an impressive volley towards goal, with Marino doing well to catch his effort.

Less than 60 seconds later Levante had their first effort on goal when David Barral's close-range chance was brilliantly saved by Diego Alves, who parried the powerful effort to safety.

Valencia failed to heed the warning and after 58 minutes were behind.

An inswinging corner from the left by Andreas Ivanschitz found Victor who rose highest to head past Alves.

Marino kept out a Rodrigo effort before Levante missed an excellent chance to double their lead when Loukas Vyntra headed over the bar when well placed.

And just like their opponents earlier, Valencia made the most of a missed opportunity by the possession as they equalised after 74 minutes.

Negredo played in Parejo and the Argentinean finished with aplomb, firing an effort into the bottom corner from 12 yards out.

Valencia were level for a matter of seconds before the home side hit the front again when Morales curled an effort into the top corner.

Negredo failed to find the net with another header, although this time Marino was called into action.