Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole for this evening's La Liga encounter between Levante and Elche at Estadi Ciutat de Valencia.
Joaquin Caparros's side are on a four-game losing streak, which has seen them slip down to 13th in the table.
Los Franjiverdes are level with them on 17 points, meaning a win for either team will see them into the top half of the table.
Stick around to see what unfolds in Valencia. Please note that kickoff is at 8pm.
Good evening everyone! Welcome to Sports Mole for this evening's La Liga encounter between Levante and Elche at Estadi Ciutat de Valencia.
Right, first thing's first, let's get you guys some team news...
LEVANTE: Navas, Vyntra, Juanfran, Karabelas, Pedro Lopez, El Zhar, Sergio Pinto, Pedro Rios, Pape Diop, Simao, Diawara
ELCHE: Tono, Botia, Pelegrin, Sapunaru, Albacar, Perez, Coro, Vicent, Fidel, Sanchez, Boakye
LEVANTE SUBS: Jimenez, Adoua, García, Jordi, Ivanschitz, Camarasa, Barral
ELCHE SUBS: Yague, Rivera, Aaron, Mantecon, Marquez, Domingo, Herrera
ELCHE SUBS: Yague, Rivera, Aaron, Mantecon, Marquez, Domingo, Herrera
Levante need to snap their four-match losing streak if they are to get themselves back into the mix for European football. However, they have only won four games all season.
Apologies for the lack of updates, there are a few gremlins in the system at the moment.
KICKOFF! The game is underway. As for the system, she seems to be working fine now. Hopefully that's the last of it!
It's been a confident start from Elche, who have enjoyed most of the possession so far. No chances in the early stages. Joaquin Caparros is very animated on the touchline, you can tell he is feeling the pressure in the midst of his team's slump in form.
Levante are trying to get something going, and nearly do so when Diawara flicks the ball through for Simao. However, the linesman quickly has his flag up. Replays show it was the correct decision.
Very scrappy at the moment, neither team have been able to properly impose themselves on proceedings. Passes seem to be deflecting off heels and toes, causing moves to break down.
Elche have enjoyed 68% of the ball in the opening 10 minutes, but that stat means very little in truth. All the play has been in the middle of the park.
A long ball from Coro drifts harmlessly behind for a goal kick without getting near anyone in an Elche shirt. Indicative of the game so far. It's lacking in quality, to say the least.
Elche have noticeably picked up the pace in the last couple of minutes. They're trying to exploit the flanks, but it's not quite coming off. The ball was worked out wide for Botia, but his cross failed to beat the first man. Still, it's an improvement in the build-up play.
Levante look like a team completely bereft of confidence. No cohesion whatsoever. The visitors are the team doing all the pressing, but they need a goal while they're on top.
SHOT! Great work from Coro, as he weaves his way past a couple of challenges but misses his opportunity to shoot once inside the area. Instead he tees up Boakye, but his effort is high and wide. Finally, some incision.
Space for Albacar to gallop into down the right, but his cut-back from the byline is a poor one. Final ball lacking once again, but it's all Elche at the moment. Levante are holding on.
GOAL! Levante 0-1 Elche (Cristian Sapunaru)
Well, it's been coming! Super finish from Sapunaru, and no less than the visitors deserve. The ball was whipped into the box from a free kick and Botia knocked it down for his defensive teammate, who confidently swept home with his right foot.
The goal seems to have roused Levante from their slumbers, but Elche look tight at the back.
Diawara tees up Pinto, but his effort is blocked by Botia. No route through for the hosts.
Elche has re-assumed control of the contest. An injury to Diawara curtailed the momentum Levante had built up, and it looks as if his race is run as he makes his way to the sidelines.
WHAT A MISS! Well, it should be 2-0 to Elche. Fidel has missed an absolute sitter. A long ball was flicked on by Boakye, and the Levante defence was nowhere to be seen as Fidel skipped through. He tried to dink it over Navas, and did so, but put it wide. Oh dear.
GOAL! Levante 1-1 Elche (David Barral)
Oh my, Fidel must want the ground to open up right now. He misses a gilt-edged opportunity to put his team 2-0 up and then David Barral, fresh on for Diawara, goes right down the other end an levels the score! The forward met Nabil El Zhar's cross and powered a header past Tono. Pivotal? Maybe.
HALF TIME! Levante 1-1 Elche
After a rather forgettable opening 20 minutes, the game has certainly warmed up now. It really should be 2-0 the Elche, but instead it's 1-1, as Fidel was duly punished for missing a sitter when David Barral headed home at the other end moments later. That's football, and that's why we love it. Unless you're an Elche fan...
There is no doubt that Elche have been the better team. Levante woke up after going behind but have still struggled to create anything meaningful, barring the goal of course. This game really could go either way now, though.
LEVANTE STATS:
Shots: 4
On target: 1
Possession: 41%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 6
Yellow: 1
Red: 0
Shots: 4
On target: 1
Possession: 41%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 6
Yellow: 1
Red: 0
ELCHE:
Shots: 5
On target: 2
Possession: 59%
Corners: 0
Fouls: 0
Yellow: 0
Red: 0
Shots: 5
On target: 2
Possession: 59%
Corners: 0
Fouls: 0
Yellow: 0
Red: 0
Right, we're ready for the second half. It's poised nicely.
LEVANTE SUB: Sergio Pinto comes off at the break and is replaced by Ruben Garcia. Joaquin Caparros has just one change left now, with Diawara forced off early with an injury. Although, Barral's impact was to score the equaliser... can Garcia do the same?
Normal service resumed early in the second half with Elche on top. Boakye takes a boot to the face while chasing a ball over the top, but he seems fine to continue.
Levante have now taken the mantle and are doing somre pressing themselves. There's an energy about them that just wasn't there in the first half, but still no chances of note.
BOOKING Nabil El Zhar follows his teammate Vyntra into referee's notebook.
SAVE! Big chance for Levante! Cross came in from the right and it was a poor header from Cristian Sapunaru, who was under no pressure and should have nodded back to Tono. Instead his header fell to Karabelas, who cut inside and shot straight at Tono. A defender's effort, there.
ELCHE SUB: Fidel makes way for Aaron. He'll be lynching himself for missing that sitter moments before barral's equaliser.
BOOKING! Boakye becomes the first Elche player to be cautioned. It was a late challenge on Simao.
SAVE! So close from Karabelas! He had space to cross down the left, and shaped to do so. However, he tried to catch Tono out at his near post, but the keeper was able to get a hand behind it despite going the opposite way. Great save.
WHAT A MISS! And it's the second one of the night for Elche. Dear, oh dear. It has been pretty much one-way traffic towards Elche's goal in this half, but Boakye has just missed an absolute sitter. The ball flashed across goal from a corner, and with an empty net to hit from four yards out... he skewed wide. How disappointing for the visitors.
Fantastic work from El Zhar, as he shows Botia a clean set of heels and flashes the ball to the near post for Garcia. His header is far too high, though.
BOOKING! Coro receives a caution for a bad foul on Botia.
ELCHE SUB: Sapunaru comes off and will be replaced by Sergio Mantecon.
ELCHE SUB: Cristian Herrera replaces Richmond Boakye.
LEVANTE SUB: Jordi Xumetra replaces Nabil El Zhar.
GOAL! Levante 2-1 Elche (David Barral)
The game had settled into a bit of a lull with the introduction of new players and a few breaks in play, but it has sprung to life once more! It's Barral who gets his second of the game, arriving late into the box to meet Pedro's cross. Tono had no chance. Bullet header.
Fran Escriba's team have been well and truly punished for the profligacy in front of goal this evening. They dominated most of the first half, but have come under pressure in the second. They have missed two sitters and now find themselves trailing.
BOOKING! Sergio Mantecon didn't take long to get booked. A late challenge on Xumentra sees him cautioned.
Elche are looking for the equaliser now. Quite why they waited until going behind is a mystery. Seems to happen all the time though.
BOOKING! Xumentra is booked for protesting the referee's decision to award a free kick for Pape Diop's foul on Carles Gil. Needless, really.
Elche are huffing and puffing but Levante's house is made of bricks.
We're going to have five minutes of time added on. Five minutes for Levante to hold on and snap a four-game losing streak. the last time they won a game was five ago, so Joaquin Caparros is a bag of nerves, as you can imagine, on the sidelines.
FULL TIME: Levante 2-1 Elche
Levante secure their first win in five games, while at the same time ending a four-match losing streak. The win lifts them to ninth in La Liga. Elche remain in 11th.
That's all we have time for tonight. Thanks for joining us at Sports Mole and we hope to see you again soon!
Written by
Michael Penkman
Michael Penkman
