MATCH REPORT | VCF Mestalla LOSES OUT TO Fulham FC (3-2) | OneFootball

VCF Mestalla played on Wednesday evening against Fulham FC in Matchday 1 of the Premier League International Cup. The visit of Valencia CF's 'B' team to Motspur Park ended in an unfair defeat after the London side scored in the final play of the match, leaving VCF Academy’s great effort without reward. Mario Domínguez netted two brilliantly taken goals that kept Angulo’s men fighting until the very end, despite having to play almost an hour with one man down.

Foto: Fulham FC

VCF Mestalla started the match at a very high tempo and needed only two minutes to threaten the opposition’s box with a counterattack, though Marc Jurado’s finish lacked power. The hosts reacted quickly, looking to take the lead, but Raúl Jiménez denied them twice with fine saves.

After a fairly balanced opening half hour, where Valencia’s youngsters controlled much of the play, the game suddenly turned against them. Javi Navarro was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, the second for a foul on the edge of the box that Tom converted for Fulham with a superb strike. However, that double blow only fired up Angulo’s side, and just five minutes later, in the 36th minute, Mario Domínguez leveled the score by darting to the near post to turn in a pinpoint cross from Guilabert at the byline.

The back-and-forth continued in the closing stages of the first half. Raúl Jiménez once again came to the rescue to prevent a second goal for the home side, while Guilabert nearly put Mestalla ahead with a powerful effort from outside the box that rattled the crossbar.

Foto: Fulham FC

After the break, the pace of the game dropped slightly, but Valencia’s reserve side kept up their ambition despite being a man down.

Following another good chance for the visitors, once again through Guilabert, Fulham FC regained the lead with a fine strike from Ollie Gofford (64’). Far from giving up, VCF Mestalla pushed forward in search of an equalizer, and they found it through a perfectly executed set piece. Lucas Núñez rolled the ball to the edge of the box, where Mario Domínguez unleashed a spectacular shot into the top corner (76’).

With the score level again, the intensity rose and both sides pressed hard in pursuit of a winner. The contest evened out when the hosts were reduced to ten men after Nwoko’s dismissal (85’), which briefly slowed the tempo in the final minutes. But just as the draw seemed inevitable, Farhaan finished off a quick move to seal a 3-2 victory in the very last play of the match.

Foto: Fulham FC

VCF Mestalla’s next fixture will be their league debut in Segunda Federación Group 3, on Sunday, September 7, at 7:00 p.m. at El Collao against CD Alcoyano.