Alavés Cruises Past Ten-Man Getafe in La Liga Opener

Deportivo Alavés made a statement in their opening fixture, dispatching Getafe with a professional display that was shaped decisively by a sending-off. Getafe's task became nearly impossible when Kristoffer Femenía received a red card in the 42nd minute, leaving the visitors a man down for the remainder of the match. The home side's superiority would only grow from that point on, and they converted that advantage into a convincing victory.

Goals came late for Alavés, but they arrived with clinical efficiency. Nicolás Tenaglia broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute, finally making the numerical advantage count and setting the tone for the closing stages. The floodgates opened in stoppage time as Manuel Rodríguez and Martín Díaz added gloss to the scoreline in quick succession, both finding the net in the 90th minute to seal a 3-0 win.

Playing with a man extra for nearly the entire second half, Alavés controlled the tempo and suffocated any meaningful Getafe counterplay. The away side offered little in attack and appeared increasingly resigned to their fate as the match wore on, their chances of salvaging anything evaporating with Femenía's dismissal. Alavés' patience paid off, and they never looked in danger once they went ahead.

The emphatic opening victory hands Deportivo Alavés a strong platform for their campaign, while Getafe face questions about discipline and resilience. The red card will dominate post-match discussion, but there is no escaping that Alavés were the hungrier, more efficient side when it mattered.