Alvaro Negredo scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 win to help Valencia CF ease past a Granada CF side that had plenty of chances to score themselves.
Chances galore in the first half for both sides
Valencia got off to the best possible start when Negredo tackled Diego Mainz on the edge of his box, calmly slotting the ball beyond Granada goalkeeper Ivan Kelava.
Moments later, it could have been two when Enzo Perez split the defence but Negredo could only get his toe on the ball which wasn’t enough to put the ball in the back of the net.
Despite controlling the game with 64% possession, Los Che gave Granada plenty of chances to get back into the game including six corners, but their best chance came when Adalberto Peñaranda intercepted a sloppy pass from Ruben Vezo however, his shot was scuffed just wide of the far post.
Not long after, Ruben Rochina swung in a wonderful free-kick which Doria beat the on-coming Valencia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan to the ball, however, the Brazilian headed the ball well over the cross bar.
The team from Andalusia were made to rue their chances, as once again Perez split the Granada defence wide open when he passed to Santi Mina who un-selfishly squared the ball to Rodrigo, who had the easy task of putting the ball into an open net.
Just before the half-time break, Rochina found himself in all kinds of space on the edge of the box when he brilliantly turned Perez, unfortunately for him, Ryan denied him with a great save.
Negredo rounds off a comfortable win
Into the second-half, Gary Neville’s men started to turn the screw on Granada, after subbing Pablo Piatti on for Dani Parejo, Valencia changed formation into a 4-4-2 which allowed Rodrigo to push up alongside Negredo.
The change worked well, with Mina now playing down the right, he found Rodrigo in the box, who’s shot was saved by Kelava.
However, Granada started to find their feet again and after a bright spell of around five minutes, Rochina whipped in a superb cross, which was met by the head of Jean-Sylvain Babin, but once again, Ryan was there to deny Granada with a brilliant save.
The visitors were made to pay for their missed chances as Mina, after being fed a delightful pass from Perez tried to squad the ball for Negredo, but the pass was intercepted brilliantly by Babin.
Moments later, Mina ducked in between two Granada players, but was tripped by Uche in the box, this gave Negredo the chance to increase the lead to 3-0. The Spanish striker waited for Kelava to make his move, before placing the ball into the opposite corner.
Rodrigo then had a chance a few minutes later to make it 4-0, but his shot went straight at the Granada keeper.
The match then went quiet until the 83rd minute, when Negredo was man-handled in the box by Doria and another penalty was awarded to Valencia. Negredo stepped up for the chance to round off his hat-trick and give Valencia a commanding four goal lead. The striker made no mistake, smashing the ball into the top corner.
That was all she wrote at Mestalla, 4-0 to the home side, who next face Real Sociedad at the Anoeta in La Liga, whilst the big win for Neville’s side surely will have given them a massive confidence boost.
For Granada, it’s back to the drawing board for them as they face a trip to face FC Barcelona.