Valencia Cruise Past CD Eldense in Friendly Opener

Valencia welcomed CD Eldense to the Mestalla on a warm summer evening as both sides began their preparations for the season ahead. The home crowd created an expectant atmosphere, though the nature of a friendly meant the intensity rarely reached fever pitch. Valencia started brightly and dominated possession from the opening whistle, pinning their visitors deep in their own half.

The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when R. Sato struck to give Valencia the lead. The goal seemed to settle any early nerves, and Valencia pressed for a second. Nine minutes later they got it. J. Vázquez extended the advantage to 2-0 with a well-taken finish just before the half hour mark. CD Eldense offered little in attack and looked outmatched by the step up in competition. Valencia added a third before the interval when D. Raba scored in the 44th minute, effectively settling the contest long before the final whistle.

The second half became something of a training ground exercise. Valencia eased off the accelerator with the job already done, while CD Eldense never seriously threatened to stage a comeback. The home side controlled the tempo throughout and could have added more had they maintained the intensity of the first period. Both teams made numerous substitutions as the match progressed, with Valencia using the opportunity to give minutes to squad players and test different combinations.

The 3-0 victory gave Valencia a positive start to their pre-season schedule and will have pleased their coaching staff with the efficiency of the performance. CD Eldense, competing several divisions below, had little chance of matching their hosts' quality on the night. For Valencia, this was exactly the kind of warm-up exercise needed before more competitive action beckons in the coming weeks.