Valencia vs Mallorca Player Ratings: Duro's Header Cancels Out Costa's Opener in 1-1 Draw

Valencia and Mallorca played out a 1-1 draw in a match that simmered but never quite boiled over. The home team focused on controlling the ball and the visitors were devastatingly effective on the counter. Mallorca stunned the home crowd by taking the lead. Samú Costa found the back of the net in the 23rd minute, as he finished calmly after a well-worked move, putting Valencia on the back foot for the remainder of the first half.

The second half saw a completely different Valencia. They came out with renewed purpose and intensity. Their pressure finally paid off when Hugo Duro leveled the score with a powerful header in the 52nd minute. The hosts almost snatched it late on, with José Gayà desperately hitting the post. In the end, a draw felt like a fair result, though Valencia will rue their missed opportunities. Here are Sportsdunia's Valencia vs Mallorca player ratings.

Valencia Player Ratings vs Mallorca

Check out the Valencia player ratings for the Valencia vs Mallorca fixture.

Goalkeeper

Julen Agirrezabala - 6.5: We barely noticed he was there for large parts of the game. He made one save and conceded one goal. There was little he could do about Costa's clinical finish. A very quiet evening for the shot-stopper. He did what was required of him without any fuss.

Defenders

José Copete - 7.0: A composed and solid performance at the back. What stood out to us was his exceptional pass accuracy of 92%. He was calm under pressure. He won most of his duels and kept things tidy. A reliable presence in the Valencia backline.

César Tárrega - 6.5: Looked a bit overwhelmed at times. He did make seven clearances, which is a positive. However, he struggled in the air, losing four aerial duels. From our perspective, he looked like the weak link in the defence. He needs to improve his physicality.

Thierry Correia - 6.0: A genuinely bizarre performance. He provided a brilliant cross for the equalizing goal, a moment of real quality. But on the other hand, he lost possession a staggering 23 times. He lost most of his duels and was a defensive liability. The assist just about saves him from an even lower rating.

José Gayà - 7.0: The captain was so unlucky not to be the hero. He was inches away from scoring when his effort struck the post. His passing was almost perfect, an incredible 98% accuracy. He offered a constant threat down the left flank. A very good outing.

Midfielders

André Almeida - 6.5: He was busy and involved, but lacked a cutting edge. He created a couple of chances but his crossing was very poor, with only 3 of his 13 crosses finding a teammate. He also lost possession far too often. A frustrating night for him.

Pepelu - 9.0: An absolutely masterful performance. Our Man of the Match, without a shadow of a doubt. He completely ran the midfield, with 114 touches and 101 passes. His range of passing was a joy to watch. He also worked tirelessly off the ball, winning it back nine times. A truly dominant display that deserved a winning goal.

Filip Ugrinic - 6.5: A hard-working but ultimately ineffective display. He ran a lot but didn't seem to influence the game much. He picked up a clumsy yellow card before being substituted. A forgettable performance.

Luis Rioja - 7.0: He was a constant livewire for Valencia. He had five shots, though most were blocked. He was always trying to make things happen and looked dangerous when he got on the ball. His energy was infectious, but the final product wasn't always there.

Forwards

Hugo Duro - 7.5: Scored the vital equalizing goal with a fantastic header. He was a real handful for the Mallorca defenders all game. He won an impressive five out of seven aerial duels. His goal was crucial in salvaging a point for his team. A classic centre-forward's performance.

Lucas Beltrán - 6.0: It just wasn't his night. He missed two big chances that he really should have scored. From our perspective, his confidence seemed to drop after the first miss. He worked hard and drew a lot of fouls, but a striker is judged on goals, and he failed to deliver.

Substitutes

Largie Ramazani, Javi Guerra, Dimitri Foulquier, Arnaut Danjuma, and Diego López all came on but didn't have enough time to make a significant impact on the game.

Manager

C. Corberán Vallet - 6.5: His team showed good character to come back from a goal down. He set them up to dominate possession, which they did. However, his substitutions failed to provide the spark needed to find a winner. A solid, if unspectacular, managerial performance.

Mallorca Player Ratings vs Valencia

Check out the Mallorca player ratings for the Valencia vs Mallorca fixture.

Goalkeeper

Leo Román - 7.0: He made a key save and was a commanding presence in his box. There was nothing he could do about Duro's powerful header. He managed the game well and picked up a tactical yellow card for his troubles. A solid display from the keeper.

Defenders

Antonio Raíllo - 7.5: A real captain's performance. He provided the headed assist for the opening goal. Defensively, he was a rock, making crucial blocks and leading by example. He was instrumental in securing a valuable away point.

Johan Mojica - 7.5: What a defensive performance. He won an incredible eight out of ten duels and made six successful tackles. He completely shut down his side of the pitch. We were seriously impressed by his tenacity and defensive discipline. Outstanding.

Pablo Maffeo - 6.5: A solid and reliable performance. He did his defensive duties without any fuss. He won half his duels and made some important clearances. He didn't offer much going forward but he didn't need to. A disciplined showing.

Martin Valjent - 6.5: He had a busy night against a determined Valencia attack. He threw his body on the line, blocking three shots. He was a key part of a defensive unit that bent but didn't break. A battling performance.

Midfielders

Antonio Sánchez - 7.0: An industrious and energetic performance. He covered a lot of ground, helping out defensively with five clearances. He was neat on the ball and provided a good link between defence and attack. A very useful player to have.

Manu Morlanes - 6.5: Very tidy in possession, completing 100% of his passes. However, he didn't offer much of a threat going forward. He was substituted just before the hour mark after a quiet game. Did his job but didn't stand out.

Samú Costa - 8.0: An excellent all-round display. He scored the opening goal with a great finish. He was a dominant physical presence in midfield, breaking up play and driving his team forward. The yellow card was the only negative mark on an otherwise superb performance.

Jan Virgili - 6.5: He showed some bright moments during his time on the pitch. He forced a good save from the Valencia keeper. He also worked hard off the ball, recovering it six times. A promising display before he was substituted.

Mateo Joseph - 6.0: He worked hard but struggled to get into the game. He lost possession too easily and picked up a silly yellow card. It was a difficult night for the young midfielder. He never really managed to make his mark.

Forwards

Vedat Muriqi - 6.5: A typical battling performance from the big striker. He was a physical nuisance for the Valencia defenders all game. However, his passing was very poor, with less than half of his passes finding a teammate. He occupied defenders well but lacked a clinical edge.

Substitutes

Sergi Darder, Marash Kumbulla, Mateu Morey, and Takuma Asano were all introduced, helping to shore up the team and see out the draw.

Manager

J. Arrasate - 7.0: His game plan worked perfectly. He set his team up to be defensively solid and to hit Valencia on the break. They took their chance when it came and defended with their lives to earn a fantastic point on the road. A great tactical display.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Pepelu