Valencia unbeaten run continues

Valencia extended their unbeaten run to three matches with a 2-1 Primera Division victory over Elche.

Valencia extended their unbeaten run to three matches with a 2-1 Primera Division victory over Elche on Sunday. Goals from Pablo Piatti and Dani Parejo won the game for the home side either side of Ferran Corominas' equaliser, while Damian Suarez missed a penalty deep into the second half for the visitors. The result leaves Los Che in eighth as they built a four-point gap between themselves and ninth-placed Levante. Elche hold on to their spot in 15th just four points above the relegation zone with five matches remaining. The home side started brightest and Michel could have given them the lead after two minutes had his close-range effort not gone wide. But the match went quiet until midway through the first half, when Elche defender Suarez almost broke the deadlock with his free-kick from the left wing, forcing Valencia goalkeeper Vicente Guaita to punch the ball to safety. The hosts also pressed forward and Argentina international Piatti capitalised on Michel's miss, collecting the ball from the left of the 18-yard box before slotting it into the bottom right of the net. Their lead did not last long before the visitors struck back six minutes later when Corominas got on the end of Carlos Sanchez's cross to fire the ball home with a low shot from the penalty box. Elche lost Alberto Botia to injury 10 minutes before the break and he was replaced by David Lomban. The home side almost doubled their lead as the half wore on but goalkeeper Manuel Herrera managed to tip Dani Parejo's long-range drilled effort over the bar. Jonas was the first to test Herrera after the break before Parejo put the home side ahead for the second time as he curled the ball into the back of the net from 25 yards out down the right channel. Just after the hour mark, young Valencia winger Federico Cartabia forced Herrera into another fine save as he parried away his close-range shot to keep the margin close. Los Che's first goalscorer Piatti gave away a penalty with 20 minutes left, but Guaita guessed right as Suarez stepped up and struck the ball to the bottom right of the goal, sending it into the goalkeeper's hands. Richmond Boakye had a late chance to steal a point for the away side but his shot just missed the post as Valencia held on for the win.