VALENCE. Levante emerge from their peculiar tunnel, thanks to a series of impressive performances, but one of them stood out above the rest, notably for its consistency throughout the match against Málaga. Andrés García donned the cape this time. Carlos Álvarez also waved his wand – late but decisively – yet it was the Valencia native who stole the show. Here are the evaluations of Plaza Deportiva players following the match between Levante UD and Málaga CF:
Andrés Fernández (6) : Little work, but essential. The two clear chances created by Málaga in the first half were converted. Nevertheless, the Murcian managed to stop an isolated attempt and confidently secured the team.
Andrés García (8.5) : On another level. Without a doubt, he was Levante’s best player. Both goals in the first half came from his feet: the first, from an exquisite cross, taking advantage of a sluggish and disorganized Málaga defense to allow Romero to score unopposed; the second, he set the pace and avoided cutting from the wing, visioning a triangle with Kocho. Andrés was precisely that: a knife. The sharpest of the season. He revealed a vision of the game even unknown to him.
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Elgezabal (6) : Consistent. Effective, yes, but also painful. The defensive line he led was the weakest link for Levante. This position faltered in the face of an attack from Málaga which could have spoiled part of the celebration. Elgezabal was not up to the mark on Larrubia’s goal, which he nevertheless let pass too easily.
Cabello (5.5) : Sufficient. Too involved in critical moments of the match. Sometimes quirky. Improved in the second half.
Pampín (5): Suffering. He had some good and bad moments. He was fine for a quick exit down the left side – he combined well and was physically fit – but in a reckless advance in attack he lost possession leading to Málaga’s second equaliser.
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Oriol King (6) : Invisible work. Despite moments like the penalty obtained in Ferrol – which completely tainted his match – the Catalan’s role is essential in the team that Calero wants. Quick to intercept, he was the balance, the player who kept the ‘madness’ and electricity of Levante under pressure.
Coach (6) : Necessary. Less and more, Kocho has demonstrated that the team needs players with his characteristics. The subtle touch to assist Romero for his second goal was magnificent. Quality and versatility to deploy. Calero replaced him looking for balance in midfield to free Lozano up front.
Pablo Martínez (5) : Insufficient. Levante needs his best version, but he has been over-guarded and not particularly intelligent in the middle. It operated intermittently, and this lack of continuity didn’t help it. It needs to be more consistent.
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Carlos Alvarez (7) : To the rescue. He seems absent until he isn’t. Overall, it was not the most spectacular performance of the Sanlúcar magician, but in the final moments he put on the cape. A devilish move on the right led to Espí’s winning goal. So much so that the celebration was more for the Sevilla midfielder than the Tavernes striker.
Brugui (5) : Missed what he usually doesn’t miss. He had the opportunity to put Levante in the lead before Romero did so for a second time. A clear opportunity. Brugui is generally reliable, but he seemed far from his usual level. He is still regaining his form after his injury despite his remarkable performance against Elche.
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Romero (8) : Mortal. Manchegan scored two goals, taking his tally to five league goals this season. This makes him the team’s top scorer, ahead of Brugui, Carlos Álvarez, Kocho, Morales… Romero is emerging from some of the ashes and the sea of doubts that he has generated since signing for Orriols. It seems to allay these doubts. His second goal was particularly remarkable: lethal in finishing, powerful in one-on-one situations.
Morales (5) : Erratic. The Commander’s meteoric recovery earned him a place in the second half. There was no break in his ankle… or goal in his feet. Two clear chances, where he did not make the right decision, marked Morales’ contribution to the match.
Algobia (6) : Scorer. He had a good period on the field. Insightful, organized, from surface to surface. He scored the fourth, only needing to push it, but he followed the final action well. This goal marked the end of another bad spell caused by injuries.
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Lozano (6) : Improved. Minutes to exit the tunnel. The Valencia native’s calm and intelligence to initiate the action for the fourth goal was fantastic and crucial.
Thorn (6) : Anchor man. He was an offensive substitution. Calero removed Oriol Rey to disrupt his midfield and form an overloaded attack. Tavernes was to be the anchor man, and in that sense he became a hero. It was a lousy goal from Tavernes, as awful as it was valid. He scored his second of the season as a youth player, despite two clear missed chances which tarnished his debut. Nonetheless, it is a solution to rely on in cases like this encounter.
